Advent Children: Rebirth
by Always have a little Faith
Summary: Two years ago, Aerith gave up her life to save the Planet. So, maybe its time the Planet gave something in return? ShinRa thinks so, and with DNA remains and study of Lifestream, they've created a possible Second Chance. Someone who'll help stop Reunion..
1. Prologue

_**PROLOGUE.**_

The Lifestream.

That's what we call the river of life that circles our planet, giving life to the world and everything in it. The Shin-Ra Electric Power Company discovered a way to use the Lifestream as an energy source. Because of Shin-Ra's energy, we were able to live very comfortable lives. But wasn't that because we were taking away from the planet's life? A lot of people thought so. Shin-Ra used their power to stop anyone who got in their way. Shin-Ra had a special group of warriors called "SOLDIER." And all of the SOLDIERs had Jenova Cells put inside of them. Jenova was a calamity that fell from the sky a long, long time ago…and tried to destroy the planet.

Anyway, there was one SOLIDER, named Sephiroth, who was better than the rest. But when he found out about the terrible experiments that made him he began to hate Shin-Ra. And then, over time, he began to hate everything. Shin-Ra and the people against them. Sephiroth, who hated the Planet so much that he wanted to make it go away, and the people who tried to stop him.

There were a lot of battles. For every battle, there was more sadness. Someone went back to the Lifestream too…

* * *

**_Two Years Ago._**

_A brunette woman kneeled down on the cold ground, praying as hard as she could, wanting to do everything in her power to prevent the calamity to come. She heard a noise, and sensed **his** presence, and looked up to see a spiky haired blonde standing a few feet away._

_She smiled beautifully, but their silent moment was ruined as a figure dropped from the bright light above. A flick of silver flashed in the sun's reflection as a tall thin man with ghostly pale skin and long silver hair landed onto the ground a few paces from her._

_He carried a long katana with him, and in seconds, it's rammed through the brunette's middle, from back to front. He looked up at the blonde, smirking as his pale blue-green and viral eyes glitter with malice. With a great noise of grating metal, he pulled his sword free, and she fell forward, eyes wide open in shock. However, her beautiful smile did not leave her face._

_As she fell, her red hair ribbon came undone and a small pale green Materia fell from it, bouncing to the floor, where it emitted a pure sound against the glass there, and continued until it fell into the clear and crisp water below._

_The blonde rushed forward, catching her before she hit the ground and cradling her limp form in his arms. "Aerith…"_

* * *

And then it came – the chosen day. In the end, the Planet itself had to make the battles stop for good. The Planet used the Lifestream as a weapon, and when it burst out of the earth…and the fighting, all the grief and sadness…everything was washed away.

"Sadness was the price to see it end," Marlene ends her story, looking at Denzel, who is resting in the small bed beside her chair. "It's been two years since they told me that…"

* * *

**_One Year Ago._**

_"Is it ready?" Rufus ShinRa inquired, peering over the shoulder of his top scientist and trusted partner, Professor Blais._

_"She, President Shinra, **she**," the scientist replied, pressing a few more buttons on the control panel before him. It's attached and wired to a large glass container in which a figure floated amongst a mass of green-ish clear liquid._

_Rufus approached the glass cylinder, looking at the floating shape within. The girl, who appeared to be in her late teens or early twenties, was in a medically induced sleep, and her closed eyelids fluttered repeatedly. Tubes were hooked up to her mouth, and bubbles spurt from her nose every now and then._

_"Right," he smiled, the anticipation almost making him jump. "**She**."_

_"Alright, now, stand back, Mister President, Sir," Professor Blais requested. "It's time to let her see the world."_

_Both men stepped back from the glass case as Blais pressed a large green button on the panel. Slowly and with a hiss of freeing air, the container slid open, letting all the water seep out. The young woman inside was freed from the tubes and wires and she too slid out with the water._

_She slumped to the floor in the pool of water, and her eyes snapped open as she shot up into a sitting position, gasping for air. Rufus kneeled down beside her, reaching out to her but her eyes widened and she shrank away._

_"It's alright," he said, his voice low and soothing. "I'm not going to hurt you. It's all going to be okay, my dear."_

_He glanced over his shoulder and the scientist understood what he meant to have done, so he stepped forward, a small syringe in hand. The young woman was too freaked to notice as he kneeled down and stuck the small needle into her arm, and then, she relaxed._

_She took a deep breath, looking at both men around her before flinging her hands to cover what little she could, trying not to blush. Rufus smiled, taking off his incredibly large white lab coat and draping it over her._

_She smiled sweetly, thanking him in a quiet voice as brown locks fell into her face. Her hair rippled down to her shoulders, and Rufus found her smile contagious as she looked up, staring at him with large green eyes that reflected so much inner power._

_"She's **perfect**," Rufus stated, looking up at Professor Blais. "Is the information in her memories?"_

_"See for yourself," he suggested, crouching in front of the girl. "Initials?"_

_"Um, A.G," she replieds._

_"Age?"_

_"Twenty-One."_

_"Birthplace?"_

_"Kalm."_

_"Profession?"_

_"Trainee under the ShinRa Company, in the Magics Department. Top of my class."_

_"Good," Rufus smiled. "Very good. It seems you're ready for your training…uh, to continue it, that is."_

_As her face lit up in happiness, the President of the company exchanged a satisfied grin with his scientist. The Professor then aided the young woman to her feet as she pulled the lab coat closer to her skin, steadying her as he does._

_"In that case," Rufus stated, getting up as well. "It's time for the show to commence."_

_Professor Blais nodded, taking the girl out of the lab as Rufus watched them leave, pleased that the last year's arduous work seems to have paid off. He smiled, anticipating the triumphs to come as he walked towards another area of the lab and sat down in a wheel chair, readying himself for his usual "performance"._

* * *

**_Six Months Ago._**

_"God, 'Lena, it was just a joke," Reno muttered, blocking the swipe that his blonde co-worker aimed at his head. "Besides, if you hit me, it can be considered harassment and I can charge you."_

_She jumped back, eyes-wide with realization. This made him laugh. From a little ways away, their teammate, Rude, watched in amusement._

_"C'mon, 'Lena, like I'd actually do that," he chuckled. "I'm not a jackass."_

_"Oh, really?" she raised an eyebrow questioningly._

_"Okay, not **that** much of a jackass," he replied._

_Just then, the doors to the office flung open and President Rufus ShinRa entered, being pushed along his path by Professor Blais. The scientist made sure he was secure before leaving. The three Turks straightened up, but he waved it off with one hand, letting them relax._

_"Turks, my finest, my most trusted," he smiled, looking at them despite the bandages covering half his face and the white robe over most of his body. "I've called you here for an important matter."_

_"Got work for us again?" Reno inquired, leaning against a table as he fished a cigarette and a Zippo lighter from his pocket. "Or are the interesting things still whooshing out of the ShinRa radar?"_

_"No, nothing **that** important has come up, yet, Reno," Rufus stated, folding his hands on his lap. "No, I've called you three here because it is time that you return to full force. It is time you return to being the true Turk team you once were."_

_"Eh?" Reno frowned, his cigarette hanging loosely from his mouth as a flame flickered just beneath it, wanting to jump from the Zippo lighter to the inviting stick of lung disease._

_"You'll have to excuse him, Sir, he's not the sharpest tool in the shed," Elena sighed, patting their leading Turk on the shoulder. Reno glared at her, but a question danced behind his eyes. "In translation: the President is saying we're getting a new Rookie."_

_"We are?" Reno perked up, looking towards their boss._

_"Yes, but don't give me that look, you're not treating this new Rookie the way you did Elena when she joined the team," Rufus chuckled as Reno's face dropped._

_"Aww, damn, but it was so fun, yo," Reno stated, remembering the deep shade of red Elena had spent her entire first day on the team being, as she had spent it taking his report on the Sector Seven plate-drop incident, and instead of talking about work, he'd flirted and teased and complimented._

_"Yeah, for those with sick senses of humor," Elena muttered._

_"Aw, c'mon, ya loved it," he grinned, leaning in close. She scoffed and swatted him away._

_ "That was an experience I'd rather have sand-papered out of my brain," she quipped, and he feigned a hurt look. "Yeah, you heard me. Not everyone falls to that cheesy Casanova charm you're rumored to have."_

_"Rumors?" he smirked. "So you **do** talk about me with the girlies!"_

_"Girlies? What the hell are you talking about?" she frowned, before shaking her head. "Reno, you're completely insane."_

_"Yeah, but that's what you love about me, huh 'Lena?"_

_"Ahem," Rufus cleared his throat and the two snap back to attention._

_"Sorry, boss-man," Reno nodded._

_"Yes, well, as Elena kindly pointed out to you, I'm speaking of adding a new member to your ranks. And before you can ask, yes, qualifications are good."_

_"What about profession?" Rude spoke up, the sound rumbling from deep within him._

_"You three cover Weapons and Demolition." __Reno smirked. "IW Intelligence." __Elena smiled. "And the Martial Arts." Rude nodded. "Tseng, had the magics covered to a degree."_

_"So, is that what the new Rookie is in?" Elena inquired, despite a small pain in her chest at the mention of Tseng. "The Magics Department?"_

_"Yes, she's highly specialized with Magic, more than Tseng ever was," Rufus nodded._

_"She?" the blonde lit up suddenly. Reno groaned. Rude chuckled._

_"Oh crap, as if we couldn't shut her up before," the redhead muttered. "Now she's gonna talk non-stop to the new female Turk in the business."_

_"Is it my fault I got stuck on a team with nothing but guys all this time?" Elena snapped, glaring at him. "No, it's not. So excuse me for being excited about girl-time."_

_"Yo, what do you think we visit the Seventh Heaven on Fridays for?" he rolled his eyes. "You get to talk with Tifa, and sometimes with the crazy ninja kid when she's around."_

_"Your point?" she stared. "That's like, rare. If ever."_

_"Ahem," Rufus cleared his throat, interrupting them again and bringing them back to the serious matter. "Now, may I present to you, the newest Turk: Adelia Gale."_

_From the door Professor Blais had exited through a while ago, a petite brunette already in Turk uniform wandered in, looking a little shy. Her brown locks fell to her shoulders in waves, and she had soft green eyes that traveled the lengths of the Turks before her, examining her new team with profound interest._

_"Hi," Elena smiles warmly. __"I'm Elena, and this is Rude and Reno." _

_"Um, hi," she waved, slightly shy. "I'm Adelia but, you uh, already know that, right?"_

_"Kind of," the blonde nodded, laughing. "It's alright to be nervous y'know. I was just like you two years ago."_

_"You've only been here two years?" Adelia frowned, walking closer._

_"Yep. After this redheaded idiot got himself hurt on a mission," she laughed, taking a jab at Reno's pride in the process. He glared at the back of her blonde head._

_"Watch it, this redheaded idiot is also your senior officer," he reminded her, and the brunette laughed as Elena stuck out her tongue at Reno. _

_"My apologies, **gramps**," she chuckled, sending him over the edge as he launched himself at her, tickling her oh-so-very sensitive sides._

_"Are they always this…," Adelia looked at Rude and Rufus, trailing off._

_"Unprofessional?" Rufus suggested, smirking._

_"Immature?" Rude offered._

_"Yes," the both said together, nodding. Adelia giggled as she joins the two men, watching the childish scene before them play out._

* * *

**_One Month Ago._**

_"Isn't it kind of weird, working alongside someone that looks just like her?" the petite ninja inquired, bouncing in her seat as she talked at the Seventh Heaven bar with Tifa and Elena._

_"Not really," Elena shrugged. "I mean, I was never close to the Flower Girl, and I barely knew her long, with my joining the Turks being so quick."_

_"But, you do think she looks like her, right?" Yuffie prodded. "I mean, the hair, the eyes, her attitude…well, sometimes her attitude. She's like a slightly younger version of—"_

_"Shh," Tifa whispered, swatting at the 18-year-old's shoulder. At the questioning look she gave her, Tifa sighed, motioning a little ways away at a table where Adelia sat, playing with Marlene and Denzel, the two kids living with Tifa at the Seventh Heaven. "I'd rather not let Marlene hear her name, last time she cried for a few hours."_

_"Sorry," Yuffie grinned sheepishly. "It's just…it's really weird, y'know? To have someone so much like her…whoa. Y'know what I just find weirder?"_

_"What?" both older girls inquired with bored sighs._

_"Has Cloud…has Cloud met her yet?"_

_"No," Tifa shook her head sadly. "He uh, he hasn't been around much."_

_"Really?" Elena frowned. "I mean, we've come here a rare few times in the five months Adelia's been with us, so I always found in coincidence he wasn't around when we were. But, he hasn't been around…at all?"_

_Tifa shook her head sadly again, sighing. "There's a lot going on in his mind, and I guess it's too much to deal with right now."_

_"**Baka**," Yuffie muttered, speaking of Cloud._

_"'Lena!" someone called from the doorway, and the female Turk turned to see Reno leaning there, signaling it's time to go._

_"Alright then, that's my annoying boss come to get us," Elena stated, making the other two laugh as she stood up. "Adelia, time to get moving!"_

* * *

**Present Day.**

"What _is_ that thing?" Adelia scrunches up her face, looking at the remains of…something, on the ground before them.

"Pay dirt," Elena replies, crouching down near the center of the crater. "Just, not really nice-looking pay dirt."

"_Who cares?_" Reno's annoyed voice floats in over their communicators. "_Just get the damn thing._"

"Y-Yes, Sir," Elena stammers. "C-Chopper time, then."

"_You got it_," he agrees, guiding the helicopter down towards the Northern Crater.

As Elena reaches out with a box in hand, a few light taps bounce against her shoulder and she looks up to see Adelia frowning, pointing forward. She follows her direction, and spots three figures slowly emerging from the mist surrounding them.

"What the—"

Gunshots resonate in the area and both female Turks feel the rush of air as the bullets just miss them. The blond jumps to her feet, gripping the box tightly in her hands.

"Reno, hurry!" Adelia pleads, looking up to try and spot the chopper she begins to hear. "Reno!"

"Who the hell is that?" Elena ponders, before the next sound out of her mouth is a scream of agony. She drops the small box and falls to her knees, clutching her shoulder with one hand.

"Elena!" the brunette cries out, ducking down to her.

"Elena, are y-you okay?"

"Son of a bitch," the blonde hisses through gritted teeth. "Whoever the hell just shot me is gonna pay dearly."

"Don't talk about our mother that way!" a voice shouts, before Adelia is grabbed by the hair and hauled to her feet, wincing. She looks up at the man holding her, a large, muscular man in black leather, with a stock of silver hair. He pins her arms behind her back in moments, immobilizing her when she tries to help Elena.

The blonde in question hisses in pain again as she too is pulled to her feet, this time by a thin man with flowing silver hair that falls to his mid-back. His cool and uncaring demeanor goes well with the coldness in his eyes as he pins her arms back, ignoring the cry of pain she gives off at the strain on her bleeding shoulder.

"_Elena! Adelia!"_ Reno's voice cries worriedly over the com-link, and Elena has a moment of strength come to her as she whips her head backwards, smashing it against her captor's nose. He grunts and swears as he lets her go, and she grabs her com-link.

"Reno, go, g-get out!" she pleads. "We're under attack! Go!"

The man behind her growls as he grabs her again, pulling her arms back tighter and making her cry out yet again as she drops her communicator. He holds her with one hand, and pulls a large Gunblade from his black leather robes, aiming at the helicopter just barely distinguishable amongst all the mist.

He fires off a few rounds, and Reno swears loudly as his flight path wavers to avoid the hit.

"_You ain't getting' away with kidnapping the Turks, yo!"_ he yells through the com-link, hoping they can hear him before the flies off, cursing to himself. In the misty Northern Crater, the two silver-haired men smirk before they walk off, dragging the female Turks with them.


	2. Act One: Torture, Search, Escape

**_ACT ONE – TORTURE. SEARCH. ESCAPE._**

* * *

_"Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself."** – James A. Froude (1818 – 1894).**_

* * *

An agonized scream echoes through the trees of the Sleeping Forest.

"Tell us where Mother is, and you won't have to suffer," the man with mid-back length silver hair threatens, pushing the tip of his Gunblade further into the gaping and bleeding bullet hole in Elena's shoulder.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Elena snaps, gritting her teeth against the pain.

"Then why were you at Mother's Crater?!" the bulkier one shouts, tossing Adelia to the ground in frustration. If the Turks didn't know any better, they'd say tears began to form in the twenty-something's eyes.

"El, what are t-they going on a-about?" Adelia sniffles, wiping dirt from her face.

"Like I know," she shrugs, but finds that's a bad idea as it causes the silver-haired man's Gunblade to rub against her injury. She grunts, attempting to lean back against the tree behind her and get away from the weapon despite the pain in her shoulder.

"You do!" the gun-owner shrieks, before firing off his weapon.

Adelia screams, Elena only curses loudly and hisses in pain as a new bullet tears through the edge of her right thigh.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" she yells, two years of spending time with Reno appearing to bring out bad habits in her such as swearing. "I told you I don't know what the hell you're talking about, or where this 'Mother' thing is. God, what more do you fucking want?"

"Mother," he hisses angrily, leaning down to glare at her with cold viral blue eyes.

"Yazoo," a third voice states. "That's enough."

Everyone looks up as another silver-haired man steps out between the trees. He looks younger than the other two, with shoulder-length silver hair, but he sports a cruel air as he stalks up the two female Turks.

"Lemme guess, here to demand your mommy too?" Elena sneers, only to be slapped across the face. Adelia winces in sympathy with her friend.

"I realize my brothers don't have the best bedside manner, but your insolence is getting quite annoying," he states, glaring at her. "If you keep it up, I might just have to tell your little friend about the secret "_scar_" you're keeping."

"Scar?" Adelia frowns, looking at the blonde. "What's he talking about?"

"No clue, but at least he isn't whining about his mother anymore," Elena dares to say, her glare locking with the man above her. Her insolent smirk almost dares him to carry out his threat, but instead he merely kicks her so that she doubles in pain.

"Listen, uh, Sir," Adelia speaks up in a slightly weak voice. "You keep asking me and Elena about "_Mother_" but we have no idea what you're talking about, and your "brothers" refuse to elaborate."

He stares at her a moment, struck by a chord of familiarity that he ignores completely, favoring a cold stare instead. "Reunion is coming. We need Mother. And we know ShinRa has her."

"Oh well, um, as you can see, we're not ShinRa," she smiles weakly. "We're just Turks, part of ShinRa, but uh, not anywhere near knowing the location of uh, prisoners?"

Elena realizes too late that her partner has chosen the wrong words, as the muscular one grabs the brunette by the neck and slams her into a tree, jabbing her side with the pointed machine strapped to his left arm.

She whimpers, and her dangling feet attempt to push against a non-existent surface, trying to get her out of his grasp. She fails, and wheezes as her air current is cut off.

* * *

"What the fuck d'you mean, '_we don't have time for that_'?" Reno bellows, slamming his fist onto the table before him. "Boss, they kidnapped two Turks. They fucking _shot_ 'Lena. We've gotta go find 'em!"

"I realize the situation at hand, Reno, but we have more pressing matters to tend to," Rufus states, folding his hands on the table he sits at.

"What could be more pressing?" the redhead demands, before being slightly calmed by a strong grip on his shoulder, belonging to Rude.

"The ultimate discovery," Rufus replies, a ghost of a smile showing under his bandages. "Now, if you'll please call up our old…_acquaintance_, Cloud."

"Strife?" the redhead frowns, but obliges as he takes out his PHS, flipping it open and dialing a number. He waits a few rings before someone on the other end picks up, and he mentally muses that he should've let Rude phone.

"_Hello, Strife Delivery Service. You name it, we deliv—"_

"Not in the mood for business, sweetheart," Reno snaps a bit too angrily, and realizes he needs to stop thinking about what he _should_ be doing. "At least, not that kinda business."

"_May I ask whose calling?"_

"Well now, forgot about me already, have you Lockhart?" Reno muses. "Haven't brought 'Lena and Addie 'round to visit in awhile but, damn, sure thought we were closer, yo!"

"_Heh. Yeah, I remember you, **yo**._"

"Listen, Spike 'round?" Reno asks.

"_Uh…no…he…he hasn't…"_

"Sorry I asked. Listen, short notice, but you better call him up. Tell him we've got work for him."

"_O-Okay. And, I tell him you're…_?"

"At Healin Lodge," he replies, looking up at his Rufus, who nods.

"_Right. Sure thing. I'll call him._"

"Thanks," Reno says before hanging up and snapping his PHS shut. "Done. Now, can we go look for 'Lena and Addie?"

"No," Rufus shakes his head, and Reno lets out a cry of frustration.

* * *

"Ouch," Elena winces as Adelia draws her slightly-glowing hands away from her teammate's thigh wound, which is now almost totally healed.

"Sorry," the brunette apologizes. "So, think you can walk on it now?"

"Well, let's see," Elena states, using Adelia's proffered hand and the tree behind her to push herself to her feet. She wobbles slightly, gritting her teeth against the pain, but is otherwise okay. "Alright, seems I'm fine."

"You sure?" Adelia asks worriedly, brow creased in thought.

"Well, I'm not fine, I mean, I've got a damn hole in my arm," Elena laughs bitterly, but then waves off her friend's hand when she goes to heal it. "You've healed our worst injuries, and you're exhausted. Save your strength. After all, we gotta get the hell outta this place."

"Okay," Adelia smiles weakly, nodding, and then looks around them. "So…d'you think they're around anywhere?"

"Nope," Elena shakes her head, before taking a few wobbly steps forward.

"How come?"

"Didn't you hear the big one?" Elena inquires, starting off at a slow pace towards a nearby path. "He said they had to go look for "big brother". Whatever that meant."

"Yeah, they were…odd," Adelia nods, following at a close distance if the need to help her co-worker and friend arises. She'd healed most of the wounds, and Elena was right, it _had_ taken a lot out of her, but she wasn't sure if it had been enough. "Any idea how to get outta here?"

"Not a clue," Elena laughs, peering through the dark forest as she takes a few more steps. "I've been here once, and uh, I wasn't paying much attention. I'm pretty much just hoping we stumble across something."

"Something, like what?" Adelia asks, and Elena chuckles again, rolling her eyes. Man, traveling with Adelia is like traveling with your own audio box of Twenty Questions.

Suddenly, she stops her slow pace as a mass of red drops from an overhanging tree. Adelia gasps and reaches for the small gun at her side but Elena's hand stops her. She doesn't draw her weapon, and instead stares straight ahead at the man before them.

He is draped in a red cloak with frayed and ripped edges, pointed golden boots that look to be made of strong metal, and a red band is tied around his head, beneath his hair. Hair that's as black as night and flows straight to the middle of his back.

He gives them both a once-over with his red eyes and seems amused. "You two look horrible."

"Thanks Vince," Elena states wryly. "You know just what to say to a girl."

"You know him?" Adelia frowns, looking between the slightly frightening man and her friend.

"Sort of," Elena nods. "Met him once or twice. Used to be a Turk. Runs with AVALANCHE now."

"Really?" the brunette's eyebrows go up, and she stares at Vincent.

"I am affiliated most recently with them," he replies. "Though I travel on my own now."

There is a silence, before Vincent examines the two again, his eyes finding their injuries. "What happened?"

"Silver-haired freaks who think we know a thing or two about their mom," Elena shrugs, and realizes that Reno really is rubbing off on her, even in speech. "Beat the crap outta us for information."

"This is nothing," Adelia adds, motioning to their visible wounds. "I healed some pretty bad ones already."

Vincent nods in her direction, before his eyes widen ever-so-slightly and he stares at her as if it's the first time he notices her standing there. "You…your power," he stops himself, deciding it's best if he doesn't say anything.

"Huh?" she frowns, looking to Elena for answers, but the blonde is just as lost as she is.

"No, it's nothing," Vincent shakes his head, before pulling his cloak to him as he turns and walks off in another direction.

"Hey!" both girls shout, and he turns around.

"Aren't you gonna help us get outta here?" Adelia inquires.

"Why?"

"Uh, cuz we have no clue where we're going!" she exclaims, waving her arms around in several directions. "I've been a Turk six months; I've never been here before! Elena's been here once. We have _no_ idea where we're going!"

He nods, and motions for them to follow before walking off again. They exchange glances, before nodding at one another and trailing him as fast as their wounds will allow them.

* * *

_You got a call from Reno. He's in Healin. Says he has work for you. Cloud, how have you been?_ _**(BEEP)** __You have no more messages…_

Cloud sighs, snapping his PHS shut, sliding it into his pocket, and putting on his sunglasses. Making sure they're adjusted on his face right, he revs up his engine, driving off. He finds a path down from the cliff and drives across the dirt road.

Moments later, three bikes pull up on the cliff face, and the silver-haired men watch the tips of buildings that they can barely see in the distance. The tips of Edge, a city built like Midgar, after most of the latter was affected by Sephiroth and Meteor two years ago.

"Hey, Kadaj?" Yazoo, the one with the longest hair, calls out. "Is that where big brother lives?"

"Yeah," the middle one nods, his shoulder-length silver hair following his movements.

"Do you think he'll be glad to see us?"

"Not a chance."

"Don't cry, Yazoo!" the third one teases and Yazoo glares at him.

"But, mother's with him."

"Maybe not," Kadaj interrupts, shaking his head.

"Don't cry, Loz," Yazoo teases his brother in return.

"Hold on," Kadaj begins, halting an argument that no doubt will break out between his brothers. He points down to the dirt road. "He's coming!"

Cloud blasts past on his bike, Fenrir, not noticing as the three up on the cliff exchange evil smiles, before Yazoo and Loz race off after him. Kadaj summons large, dog-like monsters from the shadows to help them battle Cloud, before getting out his phone.

* * *

"_Tell me you're leading me on!_" Kadaj's voice comes through Reno's phone, dipped in a building anger. "_Because I think you do have Mother there._"

"Listen you fucking idiot, whatever the hell you did with 'Lena and Adelia, we'll find 'em. And when we do, I'm gonna kill you for hurting her!" Reno hisses, not caring what the silver-haired man called to talk about.

"_No need to shout!_"

"Damn right I'm shouting," Reno growls. "You assholes shot a Turk, and you're gonna fucking pay for it!"

"_I don't want to talk to you anymore_," Kadaj snaps. "_Put the President on_."

Reno glares at his phone as if Kadaj himself were there, before passing the small black device to Rufus, who sits a few feet away in his wheelchair. Reno drifts back to the other side of the room, where Rude leans against a wall, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"What're you smiling about, yo?" Reno frowns, fishing his pack of cigarettes from his pants pocket, and his Zippo lighter from another.

"You, Reno," Rude replies, as his partner's cigarette flares to life, and they attempt to ignore the sounds of Rufus arguing a little ways away.

"Me? Sorry bud, but I thought you had a thing for Tifa and, uh, I don't roll that way."

Rude chuckles, shaking his head. "You talk about Elena like she's such a nuisance, but anything happens to her, and you freak."

"Your point?"

"You pretty much seem to like having her around," Rude adds.

"Yeah, whatever," Reno scoffs, before turning to see their boss clench his fists together on a closed phone. He hands it back to the redhead, who dials up the Seventh Heaven.

"_Hello, Strife Delivery Servi_—"

"Tifa, you call up Spike and tell him to hurry the hell up, alright?" Reno drawled, attempting to not sound too angry and pressing.

"_Oh, uh, o-okay,_" Tifa replies. "_Are you, alright?_"

"Yeah, fucking peachy. Anyway, just call him, thanks."

And with that, he hangs up, rolling his eyes.

* * *

Adelia and Elena stumbles through the back-street. Vincent had left them long ago, once Elena had returned to more familiar ground.

"Where are we?" the brunette inquires, peering into the brightly lit and yet totally empty street.

"Midgar outskirts," Elena replies.

"And where…where are g-going?"

"There," the blonde states, pointing towards a building they can barely see at the end of the street. Adelia nearly stops in her tracks as she sees the small cross atop the building.

"A church?"

* * *

_Coming up…_

_Act Two: Offers. Church. Battle._

- _A redhead's mood worsens._

- _The lone wolf is offered a job._

- _Silver-haired men, who hate flowers, attack those visiting **her** favorite place._

Now, to make a few things clear that I hoped I had, and hopefully hadn't forgotten to do so, in the two years since Meteor, the remains of AVALANCHE that frequent the 7th Heaven are buddy-buddy with the Turks, whether Rufus likes it or not. Also, by some otherworldly chance, Cloud has NOT met Adelia in the past six months.

While on the subject of Addie, I don't want to give to much away so I won't say anything retaining to her link to Aerith, but I'll just say that the next chapter gives hints as well. So, if you wanna know, please be kind enough to leave a review, and I'll update as soon as I can (if that's not soon, blame my French teacher who overloads work.)


	3. Act Two: Offers, Church, Battle

**_ACT TWO – OFFERS. CHURCH. BATTLE._**

* * *

"_In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable."_ _**– Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890 – 1969).**_

* * *

Cloud presses a button on his phone with one hand, while keeping his bike driving steadily up the road with his other hand. His voice mail clicks into life, the voice of Barret blasting through the speakers.

_Waddup, fool?! It's Barret. I am the man! Oil, Cloud! I just found the biggest damn oil field you've ever seen! Survey's done so I should be able to get out there and see Marlene soon. You let her know, all right, spiky?!_

The phone beeps slightly, before a female voice starts the next message.

_Reno called again. He says to hurry and, he sounded kind of strange. Be careful, okay?_

As the phone beeps again, Cloud pulls up to Healin Lodge and parks his bike out front, flipping the phone shut and slipping it into a pocket. Taking note of the warning from Tifa, he grabs his sword, taking it with him.

Slowly but surely, he makes his way up to the lodge, and pushes open the door. Hearing a yell as a warning cry, he brings his sword up to block to attack of an oncoming Electro Mag-Rod. It sparks a moment, before Reno swears loudly and Cloud steps aside enough for the redhead, whose mind is elsewhere, to stumble past onto the deck.

Cloud steps in and locks the door before Reno can get back in.

"Okay, so you're good," Reno growls through the small crack in the door where he can see parts of the room. He watches as Rude steps in, cracking his knuckles.

Then, the bald man rushes forward, but only makes it a few feet before Cloud's blade winds up near his throat.

"Yeah, Rude, lookin' sharp!" Reno taunts from the doorway.

Silently, Rufus enters from another doorway, wheeling himself in. "Good," he states. "You fight like the SOLDIER you once claimed to be. You haven't lost your touch."

"Rufus ShinRa?" Cloud frowns, an image of the ShinRa building exploding with the President inside it flashing across his mind. "Do I feel sorry for you."

"The day of the explosion…," he begins.

"What do you want from me?" Cloud interrupts.

"I managed to get out…," he continues.

"Who were the guys that attacked me?"

"Before it collapsed…"

"I'm leaving," Cloud snaps, heading towards the door.

"We need your assistance, Cloud," Rufus states, finally getting to the point.

"Not interested."

"I acknowledge that ShinRa…owes the Planet a lot. It goes without saying that my company and I are the ones that put the world in the sorry state it's in. Therefore, it's our responsibility to set things right," Rufus explains.

"I'm still out here!" Reno yells.

"As a first step, we have commenced an investigation in Sephiroth's wake."

"Yep, in the Northern-Fucking-Crater!" Reno adds angrily.

"What's his problem?" Cloud frowns.

"Those silver-haired bastards shot 'Lena!"

"Since when does he…"

"It's a complicated matter," Rude laughs, only to have Reno swear at him from outside.

"Now, on the Northern Crater subject. Before the girls were abducted—"

"Girls?" Cloud frowns again, looking from Rufus to Rude. "Since when is there more than just one female Turk? I thought Reno said Elena had been shot?"

"We've had another chick on the team for six months," Reno mutters. "Wouldn't expect you to know, since you haven't exactly been 'round, have ya?"

"Shut up," Cloud growls through gritted teeth, before turning back to Rufus. He tenses at the subject of Sephiroth and the Northern Crater. "What did they find before…?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all," Rufus replies. "You can relax. However, not all went as planned, because as Reno so kindly pointed out, Elena and Adelia were kidnapped. We were interrupted by the same three who attacked you – Kadaj and his gang."

"Kadaj…," Cloud ponders, remembering the fight with Yazoo and Loz while on Fenrir.

"It seems he doesn't want us finishing what we started," Rufus muses. "Really, what could they be thinking?"

"What does that have to do with me?" Cloud inquires, his eyes narrowing.

"You're our buddy, aren't ya?" Reno's voice floats in from behind the door, but it's amused and slightly teasing this time. "Besides, Spike, you've gotta meet Addie. She's—"

"Reno!" Rude calls in a warning tone that shuts his partner up.

"Kadaj and his group are young and violent – as dangerous as they come," Rufus continues. "That's why we decided that it might be in our best interest to hire a little muscle."

"Too bad," Cloud scoffs, turning away. "I'm only a delivery boy now."

"You're all we have," Rufus states. "Cloud, look, you're an ex-SOLDIER, aren't you?"

"Heh, in my head…," he chuckles darkly, but hesitates when he reaches for the door. It's unlocked, and slowly swings ajar. "What's this stuff about…Mother?"

"Why? Did Kadaj say something to you? No surprise," Rufus snorts. "There are plenty of kids who miss their mothers: that's the world we live in. I hear there are orphans living with you. Think about it: don't you want to put smiles back on their faces? All we want in the end is to rebuild our world, Cloud."

"But I…," Cloud begins, only to have the President cut him off.

"Come on, Cloud, think about it," the man in the wheelchair urges. "Together we could rebuild the ShinRa Empire."

A look of shock flashes across Cloud's face before he turns back to the door and heads out. "Not interested," he tells them, letting the door follow him to close.

"Reno!" Rufus and Rude yell, before the door snaps shut again, leaving Reno locked outside. The redhead groans, before shuffling off after Cloud, who is already getting on his bike.

"Spike, hey, wait a sec!" he catches up, and Cloud regards him with disinterest as he slides on his sunglasses. "Look, I know Rufus is all about the protection and the political bullshit but think about what's on the line here. Those assholes kidnapped two of ours, and considering the fact that you AVALANCHE guys ain't rebelling ShinRa anymore, we're on the same side, so don't that make it two of yours, too?"

"Your point?"

"My point is that Kadaj and his gang have our friends, for fuck's sake!" Reno snaps, loosing some of his cool. "Me and Rude can't go look for 'em, cuz the boss-man's making us stick around to try and get you to join or some shit like that. If you join, then we're off the hook and I can get them back!"

"Are you…are you begging me to join Rufus ShinRa?" Cloud asks, frowning. "You?"

"I'm only doing it 'cuz…'cuz…," Reno pauses, unsure himself of why he's doing it. "Look, if he lets us go after those silver-haired freaks now, then whatever, go back to being some moping sissy, we don't need your help. But if we're stuck here, and 'Lena's out there gettin' tortured for something she don't know shit about, and I can't go 'cuz you're too damn stubborn, I swear Strife, you'll be brought in. _Personally_."

The two men lock gazes, and the threat hangs in the air between them…

* * *

Tifa and Marlene enter the Church slowly, looking around. This place…it was still so beautiful, even after these past two years. It really is a miracle it hadn't been tainted by the darkness that had fallen upon some other parts of Midgar and Edge since Meteor.

Then again, it was _her_ Church, so it couldn't possibly be tainted by evil and darkness, could it?

Just like the soil of Midgar, said to not be able to grow anything, blossomed with beautiful flowers in the front of the Church. A patch of flowers that had never died or wavered, but remained full of beauty and life long after their caretaker's passing.

"I can feel her here," Marlene smiles, and Tifa looks down at the little girl fondly.

"It was her church, her favorite place," Tifa states, lightly touching the pink-red ribbon tied to her left arm. They all wear them now, all the AVALANCHE members. It's in her memory, a way to never forget her and bring a piece of her image with them everywhere.

She'd even convinced the three Turks who knew her to wear them. Albeit President ShinRa wouldn't be pleased if he knew they were that closely linked to their former enemies nowadays, it didn't matter if he didn't know, right?

"Yeah but…more than just that…more than usual," the girl states, and Tifa frowns, wondering what she could be talking about. Marlene doesn't answer the questioning glance thrown her way, and instead picks her way through the rows of benches, before stopping in the middle of the left row, gasping.

Tifa runs over, and finds an answer when she spots Adelia crouching there, tending to a ghastly wound on Elena's arm. "Elena? Adelia?" the fighter exclaims, eyes wide. "What's going on?"

"Long story," Elena winces as a green glow pulses near her injury.

"Mission. Got shot, then kidnapped, and then escaped," Adelia summarizes, not breaking her concentration.

"Heh, apparently not that long," the blonde chuckles, and Tifa crouches down as well, a look of worry etched onto her features. "Don't be so freaked Tif, I'm okay. It was worse earlier, but Addie's magic mojo came in handy."

Tifa smiles, glancing at the brunette beside her, who returns the smile, her green eyes shinning brilliantly as they always do when she uses magic.

"More than usual…," Tifa breathes, and both Turks frown in her direction. She notices their looks and smiles awkwardly. "Oh it's just…uh…Marlene said that she, uh, never mind."

Adelia nods and finishes what little she can without totally exhausting herself, and then gets up to go see Marlene, who stares intently at a window-painting a few feet off. Tifa gets up and then pulls Elena up as well.

"She sensed her again, didn't she?" Elena inquires, and not for the first time, Tifa is surprised by the blonde's ability to detect things.

"Yeah," she nods. "When we got here, I thought it was normal, because even I can sense the small bit of _her_ that's still here. But Marlene said it was stronger than usual. Didn't know what she meant till we found you two. Which reminds me, kidnap? Torture? What the heck happened to you two? Is that why Reno was so edgy on the phone?"

"Reno?" Elena frowns, something of a flutter crossing her chest that she curses mentally. "You've talked to him?"

"Yeah, said he was at Healin. Told me to send Cloud," Tifa replies, her words dropping a notch as she says the last bit.

"Huh, they're doing a wonderful job of looking for us then," Elena mutters, rolling her eyes.

"Actually, I think that's why he—"

"Tifa! Come and see!" Marlene shouts excitedly, and the two women rush over to find the young girl and Rookie Turk crouched down near the patch of flowers. They're examining a bedroll beside which are a thermos, a cup, a tiny lamp, a large metal chest and a small, short, wooden table. "Does Cloud live here?"

"I guess he does…," Tifa replies absently, staring at the things on the ground.

Marlene pokes the metal chest, frowning as she does. "What's this?"

"Big shiny silver box," Adelia laughs, and Marlene smiles, before turning her attention to the small table near his bedroll. She scurries over and finds a bandage there, with many darkened spots that look like dirt or even soot.

"It's just like Denzel!" Marlene exclaims, looking at the women around her. "Is Cloud sick, too?"

"Why didn't he say something…?" Tifa ponders aloud.

"Did he leave because he's sick?" Marlene adds.

"Maybe…maybe he's afraid…," Elena suggests, unconsciously rubbing her right side, which has begun to itch slightly at seeing the bandage. She knows the inside of her white blouse looks the same, but she hasn't told anyone either. "Maybe he just wants to fight it alone…"

"Fight?!" Adelia frowns, exchanging glances with Marlene.

"No, I don't think that he will," Tifa shakes her head.

"Tifa? Elena?" Marlene inquires, her voice small as she looks from one to the other, getting to her feet. Adelia follows suit.

"Let's go home, Marlene," Tifa states, returning to her normal self. "We should get these two fixed up back at the Seventh Heaven."

"We can't!" Marlene shakes her head. "Cloud's not here yet!"

"I know, sweetie, I miss him too," Tifa sighs, placing her hands on her knees and bending down to be eye-level with the little girl. "But, we've got to get these two fixed up back at the Seventh Heaven."

"I know…"

"Say he comes back?" Adelia offers, and their attention turns to her.

"I'll go home!" Marlene declares.

"Not until he gets a lecture," Adelia reminds the girl and she nods happily.

"Uh-huh!" Marlene exclaims, making the three women smile.

* * *

Reno and Rude lie on the ground, groaning in pain after being recently beaten up. They hold their most fresh wounds, as Kadaj steps past them, towards their boss, who sits in his wheelchair near the window.

"Boy, I do hate lying," he snaps.

"I apologize. This time you get the truth," Rufus states. "The object you seek fell from the helicopter while we were running from you. I'm afraid we were careless."

"Is that right?" Kadaj snarls, his eyes thinning into slits.

"I swear it."

"Fine. Then swear on these," Kadaj tells him, throwing two bloody ID cards onto the ground between the ShinRa President and his two downed Turks. Reno turns his head slightly, and an angry snarl escapes his lips as he sees that it's Elena and Adelia's ID cards.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" he asks angrily.

"We need Mother's power," Kadaj sates coolly. "The Reunion is coming – and we need her."

"Reunion…," Rufus hesitates.

"My brothers and sisters who share Mother's cells will all assemble, and together we will all take revenge on the Planet!" he declared proudly. "We've already sent out the invitations, and one guest is already there."

"What?" Reno coughs, looking up at Kadaj despite his floored position.

"It doesn't matter," Kadaj snaps, ignoring him as he returns to Rufus. "Because, you know, someone has gone and hidden the guest of honor."

"Invitations?" Rufus frowns.

"The stigma," he replies. "But you know all about that, sir. Mother's mimetic legacy lives on in the Lifestream and makes it happen. She does so much for us and we…we don't even know where to find her. But what can we do? We're just remnants, really remnants of Mother's legacy. Until we find Mother and receive her cells, we can't be whole again! Geostigma and the Legacy aren't enough…for a true reunion."

"What do you mean?" Rufus asks, keeping up the ruse that he knows nothing of Kadaj and his plans of "Reunion".

"But, sir!" Kadaj chuckles darkly, kneeling down in front of the wheelchair. "Surely you've noticed…" He grips the chair arms tightly, and flashes of a man with much longer silver hair, viral blue-green eyes, a black trenchcoat and a cold, cruel stare flicker across the shape of Kadaj.

* * *

Marlene and Adelia hum a song together as they work on tending to the flowers together. A little ways away, Tifa and Elena speak quietly about Cloud's absence…and Rude's growing friendship with Tifa.

"I still say you should give him a shot," Elena declares, shrugging.

"But…"

"Cloud's been gone, what? Six, seven months? On and off?" the blonde continues, placing a hand on Tifa's shoulder. "Tif, he's _still_ mourning her. He _still_ feels guilty and he's not going to be letting go anytime soon. You're better off with someone who cares about you and who'll be there for you all the time."

Suddenly, the church door flies open, ending any further conversation. Thinking it's Cloud, Marlene gets up and rushes forward, but both Elena and Tifa stop her, standing in the way as quickly as they can. They watch as a muscular man with styled silver hair walks in, a large silver claw-machine strapped to his right arm.

"Wanna play?" he inquires, outstretching a hand towards the girl. He gets no answer, and straightens up. "I guess that's a 'no'."

Loz takes a step forward, but stops as Yazoo comes in by his side, Gunblade already drawn.

"Look who's here," he hisses, pointing the gun towards Elena. "How did you get away?"

"We walked, idiot," she snaps, and Adelia stands to join them.

Both silver-haired men take a few steps forward, and Loz gets closer to the flowers, resulting in a sneeze escaping him. He covers his nose, grimacing. "Gross."

"Jerk," Adelia comments.

"Hey, where's Mother?" Yazoo demands.

"Not this again," Elena mutters, rolling her eyes.

"Again?" Tifa frowns, side-glancing at the blonde.

"Yeah, the dude with the gun? He's the asshole that shot me," Elena states, making sure she covers Marlene's ears as she swears. "Twice."

"Where's Mother?!" Loz shouts, louder than his brother.

"There's no one here," Tifa snaps.

"Fine," he growls, outstretching his hands. "Play with us."

Elena and Tifa glance at Adelia, who nods and pulls Marlene away with her, over by the flowers and Cloud's metal box, which they crouch behind. As Loz and Yazoo stand side-by-side, Elena removes her black suit jacket, tossing it onto a nearby bench and revealing the gun holsters tightly fixed around her shoulders and white blouse.

Tifa makes a similar move, making sure the lower lapel of her leather over-skirt is out of the way as she reaches into her shorts' pocket and retrieves her leather gloves, sliding them on. She then takes up a fighting stance, balling her hands into fists.

"Heh," Loz smirks, exchanging glances with his brother as he adopts a fighting stance as well.

"This'll be fun," Yazoo agrees, putting away his Gunblade for the time being.

Exchanging glances again, Elena and Tifa nod, before rushing forward to meet their targets.

Elena, being more petite and slightly faster on her feet gets to her target first, letting her fist find Yazoo's lower jaw. He reels from the shock of the hit, but not before swinging his leg up and catching her in the back. This sends her stumbling forward, but she recovers quickly.

She whirls around, and brings her hands up just in time to catch his punches in the palms of her small hands, clasping them shut and emitting a strong force onto them. The two stay locked like this for a moment, before Elena twists Yazoo's arms across one another, pulling him close enough to head-butt him.

He stumbles back and curses, reaching for his Gunblade and blasting her with a turquoise-colored beam that sends her flying back into a wooden post. The force of the impact shatters the post, and Elena feels splinters sink through her blouse and into her skin, but she ignores them and struggles to her feet.

* * *

Tifa reaches her opponent and strikes out, but her fist is blocked with the strange machine claw on his arm. She glares at him a moment before aiming her other fist at his head, which catches him on the side of the jaw and he reels back.

She follows up in the moment with a series of quick punches to the chest and face that send him skidding back a few feet down the church aisle. He recovers from the pain, and looks up with eyes that are now viral blue-green, watching as Tifa's roundhouse kick smashes into the left side of his head.

He grunts in a mix of anger and pain, before clicking his claw-arm to life and aiming for her face. She blocks it, but that doesn't stop the resulting blast of turquoise energy from hurling her across the room, where she lands on her butt amidst the flowers.

"The Flowers!" Marlene cries from her hiding place, and Adelia shushes her, pulling her close. Tifa looks up, glaring at Loz as she wipes a bit of blood from her lower lip.

She pushes herself to her feet, and shakes her hands, which are coursing with a bit of electrical energy. They sting, but she pushes the feeling away, running head-on at her opponent again.

* * *

Elena's back receives more splinters as Yazoo smashes her into the remains of the wooden post, pinning her there with his much stronger arms. She glares up at his smirking face, and decides she's had enough of this weapon-less fight, because it was always more Rude and Tifa's style than hers anyway.

She realizes then that his grip on her prevents her from reaching up to get her guns from their holsters, but that doesn't stop her from reaching behind her back to get a Dagger carefully concealed in the back lining of her pants.

She pulls it free and flicks it up over her head, catching it with her teeth and head-butting Yazoo again. He stumbles back, and she grabs the dagger, darting towards him. She leaps into the air, and brings the blade down, scratching the front of his leather suit and missing her target by a second as he jumps away.

She looks up, and finds him perched on the edge of a bench, eyes narrowed into slits that glare at her with viral eyes. "Well, you're freaky," she comments, before he raises his gun. "Oh crap."

She rolls to the ground and out of the way as a large energy blast goes flying past, then stops in a crouched position, whipping her Dagger at him. It spins towards him and he leans to the left, dodging it and smirking.

"Nice try," he taunts, before a pain erupts in his left shoulder and a blade goes spinning past, blood spurting off it just before Elena stands to catch it.

"Curved blade, idiot," Elena reveals, motioning to the dagger that is indeed curved like a boomerang. He growls and rushes forward to attack again.

* * *

Tifa goes sliding across the floor, her legs sticking out, but her enemy leaps into the air, dodging the low hit. As he lands, he turns and gets up, smirking, only to be met with a powerful punch that sends him crashing into a wall. He rebounds off the wall and begins to back up quickly to avoid the girl who uses the wall and a pillar as leverage on a running jump to come at him.

He isn't quick enough and her strong kick lands in his face, sending him stumbling backwards. She follows with another punch, and then back-flips, hitting him in the lower jaw with two kicks, one after another.

This time, when he recovers, he's ready, and brings his metal claw to block her punch. He grunts, attempting to push her back but she refuses to budge. Instead, he concentrates on his claw, charging it with enough energy that when it overheats slightly, it shocks Tifa, whose fists are still locked against it.

She stumbles back, disoriented as she shakes her head clear of buzzing. Her moment of light-headedness allows Loz to get an upper hand, using a powerful kick to hit her dead-center. The force of it propels her backwards, where she hits a wall and stumbles into an awkward crouch.

She looks up and finds him right there, swinging at her head with his charged claw arm. She reacts quickly and ducks, letting his charge smash into the wall above her head and explode small chunks of stone.

He curses as he realizes the machine attached to his arm is stuck, and she looks up, smirking. "Here, let me help you," Tifa offers, slamming her arm into the inside of his elbow and knocking the claw loose before kicking him backwards.

He goes flying away, his back a full foot off the ground, and Tifa leaps after him, using her momentum to get her feet onto his chest. She then waits until his back is almost touching the ground, before kicking off with huge force, making him smash into the ground and practically come bouncing back. However, by that time momentum has carried her past him, through the air.

She doesn't get far as he reaches out, curling his hand around her ankle. Her eyes widen and she gasps as he wrenches her back, planting his feet firmly on the ground. It's his turn to use her momentum this time, and he uses it strongly as he twirls her sideways, smashing her into and _through_ a bench. The wooden bench gets flung into the air as he continues to spin, not stopping even as she gasps, then shouts in anger, and then screams in horror as he tosses her.

She goes hurtling through the air towards the large painted wall at the front of the church, whipping past the flowers and ripping petals off them in the process. Spinning in mid-air, she has a few split-seconds to turn, and manages to land on the wall in a form of half-crouch and half-splits.

Flower petals erupt all over, and she's glad she's a very acrobatic and balanced fighter to be able to remain on the wall as she looks up to glare at Loz.

* * *

Elena dodges Yazoo's flurry of fists and kicks, managing to get away from each hit by merely a second or two. Unfortunately, she fails to notice as he reaches behind him to grab his Gunblade, tied in a holster at his lower back.

He brings it forward and catches her on the side of the head with the butt of the gun, and she cries out, collapsing to her knees. He smirks, bringing the gun up to head-level with the Turk, aiming it between her eyes.

He charges the gun's energy blast, and his finger taps eagerly at the trigger, anticipating the scream of agony that he's heard before, and relishes to hear again. The sweet sound never reaches his ears, because Elena's reflexes allow her to roll sideways and out of the way seconds before the energy blast rips through the wooden floor boards.

Yazoo growls angrily, having missed his target _again_. "I never miss," he hisses, slowly turning to find the blonde Turk. "Never."

"Too bad," she teases, before smashing her fist into his nose. He curses and reels from the hit, but it isn't the last of the pain as she comes running towards him, delivering a series of quick punches and kicks that send him stumbling backwards.

As Tifa goes flying by through the air, Elena's attention is momentarily lost, replaced by worry for her friend. This doesn't last long however, as sense is literally knocked back into her when a blast of energy hits her square in the back.

The resulting collision with the wall opens up her shoulder wound again, and she curses loudly –thank you, Reno's bad habits – before attempting to stand. She freezes half-way to her feet as a hail of bullets pelt into the wall around her, exploding chunks of stone left, right and center, and making Elena glad that her Turk uniform was more loose than usual, as bullets rip through it and not her.

"What happened to the trigger-happy energy blasts?" Elena inquires, dusting off her slightly torn uniform when Yazoo's gunfire ceases. The response she gets is a searing pain in her previously-healed shoulder as a fresh bullet rips through it. She screams, and bites her lip shut to prevent herself from cursing loudly with Marlene nearby.

She ignores the blood staining her white blouse at the shoulder, and then smirks as she pulls her guns from her holsters. "Alright, you wanna play with guns, fine by me." In a fluid motion, she pushes a small switch on the side of her guns, glad for Turks getting to test all new and wicked ShinRa prototypes, and aims her guns at the floor right in front of her.

Before Yazoo can call her stupid for aiming at a wooden floor, her fingers press hard on the triggers of her two .9mm, sending a hail of bullets into the floorboards. It takes a few seconds for Yazoo to notice that the bullets glow a faint yellow, but those few seconds are all it takes for Elena to rake the space between them with bullets.

Her last shot lands directly at his feet, and he yells as the bullets, which are now embedded in the ground beneath the floorboards (which are covered in holes) explode in a flash of yellow. Yazoo is thrown backwards with extreme force, and knocks over a few benches in the process, before his path is halted by the one at the back, which he hits, before falling forward and laying on the ground, sprawled out.

* * *

Tifa looks up, meeting Loz's grin with a glare, before kicking off the wall and flying at him through the air. He reaches an arm out, intending to grab her, but she moves past it, grabbing him by the collar and smashing him against the ground.

He grunts as his back hits it, before she throws him up into the air behind her, and then goes skidding to a stop in the aisle of the church. Tifa watches for a moment as he spins high in the air above her, then as Yazoo goes crashing into the benches beside her, and makes a decision.

She leaps into the air, meeting up with Loz and grabbing him by the collar again. She turns in mid-air, making it so she's higher than him, and uses momentum and force to whip him downwards. He goes flying through the air, and crashes alongside Yazoo into the cluster of benches that are then thrown into the air by the impact, landing on top of them.

Tifa lands on her feet and smiles at her work, as Elena joins her. She sees the wound and winces in sympathy, but the blonde merely shrugs (creating a small flicker of pain). "I think at this point, I'm used to it."

"You're used to being shot?" Marlene asks curiously as she and Adelia walk up, finally leaving their hiding place.

"Well, I'm a Turk, so, kind of," the blonde chuckles, and Marlene frowns, thinking about it.

The young girl snaps out of it, before running up to grab both women by the waist and pulls them into a tiny but tight hug, happy that they're only slightly harmed, but otherwise okay. When she takes a step back, Adelia notices Elena's bleeding shoulder, and reaches towards it.

She freezes half-way there as an odd victory-type tune breaks the silent air.

"A ringtone?" the brunette recognizes, and they all turn to see the benches in the back go flying up, pushed away by the silver-haired men that then stand up. The ringtone goes off again, and Loz growls, getting his phone from his pocket and whipping it open.

"She's not here," he states, and a faint chattering is heard from the other end while Yazoo stands with his brother, glaring in the direction of the girls. "I'm not crying!"

Yazoo rolls his eyes, and instead checks his gun, tuning in on his brother's conversation.

"No, I got it," Loz affirms. "I'll bring the girl."

"Tell him about the Turks," Yazoo reminds him, and Loz obliges. He nods a moment, and then agrees to whatever the other person has suggested, before hanging up. "Well?"

"We bring the girl, and the suit," Loz states.

"Which one?" Yazoo inquires, his fingers tapping the edge of his holstered Gunblade.

"The one with the interesting essence," he replies, and Yazoo grins evilly.

"Good, then Blondie's all mine."

Loz does not reply to this, and merely assumes a fighting stance, seemingly unaffected by the battle that just occurred.

"They wanna go again?" Elena groans, rolling her eyes. "Great. Just great."

"More fighting? Here, in a church?" Adelia frowns.

"Cuz that's not a sin," Marlene points out, before being dragged to the safety of a pillar by the brunette and Elena as Tifa stands her ground, swinging her arm out and smashing through the benches hurled her way.

Distracted by the debris of flying wood, Tifa doesn't notice as Loz somehow winds up right beside her, smirking as the two pointed ends of his claw-arm mechanically shoot out, hitting her in the stomach and injecting her directly with an overwhelming flow of electrical energy.

He then kick the disoriented and weakened fighter in the back, making her fall forwards, before using some newfound speed to grab her by the collar of her leather vest, slamming her against a pillar with his claw-arm.

It hits her again, and the force of the blast not only shoots volts of energy through her body, but also blasts the stone pillar behind her to pieces. She cries out in pain, before he tosses her to the ground, in the patch of flowers.

He proceeds in following, before he yells in pain, finding a small dagger sticking out of his left shoulder. He turns to glare at Elena, who stands a little ways away, smirking.

"Sorry, ran out of bullets to shoot you with," she comments, before her body convulses in all directions, the result of being hit from behind by a hail bullets infused with electrical energy. She screams, but the sound dies out quickly as she collapses, falling backwards and into the gaping hole she had opened up with exploding bullets earlier.

Yazoo grins, blowing at the smoke escaping from his Gunblade's tip, and Loz chuckles, walking to the edge of the hole and staring down at the fallen Turk. Just then, both men wobble as they're hit by a wave of light-based energy.

"Gross," Loz states in disgust, turning to see Adelia standing at the edge of the flower-patch, with Marlene guarded carefully behind her, beside an open metal box. Both he and Yazoo focus on them first, but then notice the massive quantity of Materia located in said box.

"Looks like we're getting a bonus," Yazoo grins, and both take a step forward, before being hit by another wave of pure light energy that sickens them.

"You're not getting anything besides another beating, unless you leave," Adelia threatens, much more confident and daring than she was before. "Because there's no way in hell you're taking her without me, or a fight."

"That can be arranged," Loz grins, cracking his knuckles. Before anyone can react, another gunshot sounds, and Adelia is thrown back by the force of a huge energy bullet that smashes her into a pillar, where she hits her head and falls to the ground, unconscious.

Marlene runs to her side, clutching Adelia's hand with one of her own, and Cloud's bandage with the other, helpless as Loz and Yazoo head towards her. "Cloud…," she whispers.

* * *

_Coming up…_

_Act Three: Found. Recovery. Arguments._

_Cloud gets to the church, but suffers a Geostigma attack._

_The two Turk men finally find a missing comrade._

_Cloud is forced to face things he ran away from, while Tifa is shown the idea of moving on._

**Author's Note: And here ends the longest chapter yet. It's only this fat because of the fight scene. As always, feedback is appreciated (especially to tell me how you find the fight scene). Also, cookies to anyone who can go watch videos of Limit Breaks from the game and tell me who's Limit Breaks I modeled Elena's combos after (1 - initial dagger attack, 2 - throwing the dagger, 3 - the exploding bullets.)**

**That's all for now. R&R. Thanks.**


	4. Act Three: Found, Recovery, Arguments

**_ACT THREE – FOUND. RECOVERY. ARGUMENTS._**

**Faith: Right so, to answer a few questions pending, before we begin. Firstly - I know Tseng was in AC, but in the game, he was stabbed by Sephiroth _just like Aerith_. So, for me, I was like 'Ooookay, they miraculously revived him, then? NO!' So I took him out - helps my story anyway. And as for Tifa, well, you guys'll just have to wait to find out what's in store for her. :) **

**Enjoy! And as always, reviews are appreciated, because you guys are awesome!  
**

* * *

_"With the gift of listening, comes the gift of healing."_ **_– Catherine de Hueck (1896-1985)._**

_"The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love."_ **_– Hubert Humphrey (1911-1978)._**

* * *

"You've got the stigma, too?" a brunette girl with pigtails asks, looking down at Denzel. The young boy had left Seventh Heaven for a while, needing fresh air, and was currently sitting on the curb down the street. He looks up, and nods slowly.

"Come on, they're going to fix us," she smiles, holding her giant Moogle plushy in one hand, and grabbing his with the other. He doesn't protest as she drags him to his feet and shuffles out of the alley and into a main street where a large truck is parked.

Some kids stand beside it, some are already in it, and two men with silver hair are at the back, loading them on two by two. The pigtail girl and Denzel arrive quickly, and are picked up and loaded into the back of the truck.

Soon, the truck reaches full capacity and the two men get in, and drive off.

* * *

Cloud walks into the church slowly, examining the benches strewn all over, and the floorboards ripped up nearby. He strides over, frowning as he does, only to have his eyes widen when he spots a familiar blonde woman in a no-longer-all-white blouse and black dress pants lying in a pit a few feet deep, beneath the floorboards that seem to have been blown open.

He peers over the edge, and calls down to her. "Elena?"

"Wha…?" she stirs slightly, and the brain activity is just enough for pain nerves to go off in every part of her body and mind. "Aw, damn that hurts…"

"What happened?" Cloud asks, and she opens her eyes a bit more, finally seeing him.

"Strife?" she frowns, before remembering what happened. "We…we were attacked…guys with silver hair…fucking bastard shot me again…"

"Silver hair…," he clenches his fists. "Kadaj's gang."

"That'd…be them…," she nods slightly, despite the pain it causes her. "They…Tifa…where…"

A stronger wave of pain washes over her, and it seems just enough to send her back into unconsciousness. Cloud looks up, and notices something amiss with the patch of flowers. Her words sink in. _Tifa…_

He rushes over, fear settling in. "Tifa!" he exclaims. "Tifa!"

He reaches her, and kneels down, holding her up slightly as she stirs. "You're late," she tells him, trying to make light of the pain she's in.

"Which one did this?" he asks through clenched teeth, plotting to kick the extra crap outta one of the silver-haired guys next time he finds them.

"Didn't say…," she whispers, before jolting upwards, her eyes wide. "Marlene! Adelia!"

She tries to exert any more energy than that, but it's too much, and she falls back down, exhaustion and pain lulling her to sleep in his arms like Elena in the pit. Cloud looks around, trying to find some sort of clue, and spots the metal box of Materia missing.

"Damn!" he curses, before he drops Tifa as a wave of pain racks his body. He hisses, gritting his teeth and attempting to focus as his vision blurs. Making use of what little vision remains, he stares at his infected arm, hidden beneath a large black sleeve.

Out of the hem he spots a black substance oozing from his arm, and as it thickens and his pain worsens, he blacks out, slumping forward and landing in the patch of flowers beside Tifa.

* * *

Reno whistles as loud as possible as he and Rude stride into the church, chuckling to himself as it echoes and bounces off the walls. And then, he cuts it short as the two Turks notice the torn floorboards, cracked walls with chunks of stone missing, and the benches all tossed about.

"What the hell happened here?" Reno frowns. "Looks like a friggen dump."

"There," Rude points, and his partner follows his gaze to find just the man they'd been looking for – Cloud Strife. Unfortunately, it seems he's either sleeping or unconscious in the flowers at the front. As the tall man slowly walks forward, intent on walking through or just around the pit, Reno takes the long way, going near the wall and a broken pillar.

He gets to Cloud, and finds a peculiar sight. "Hey, Rude, take a look at this!" Reno shouts, waving the tall bald man over, but Rude doesn't move. "Dude, get your ass over here! It's freaking Tifa!"

"What?" Rude's head snaps up, drawing him out of whatever trance he'd been in.

"It's Tifa," Reno replies, pointing into the patch of flowers with exaggerated movements. "She looks pretty beat too!"

A look of worry flashes across Rude's face, but he finds himself unable to move, torn between going to the woman his heart goes out to, or the fallen teammate he's just found in the pit. "Reno," he states. "Elena."

"I know, we still gotta find her and Addie, but dude, Tifa!" Reno cries again, pointing.

Rude sighs, walking over and pretending that his heart doesn't skip a beat at seeing the pretty beaten up Tifa. Seeing this, Rude's fists clench and the sound of tightening leather makes Reno chuckle.

"Calm down, yo," he snickers, but he stops when he sees the serious look painted on his partner's face. Not that Rude isn't always wearing a serious look, but the redhead has known him long enough to know when he somber _serious_. "You okay, man?"

"Those bastards," he curses. "First Elena, now Tifa."

"Don't forget about Adelia," Reno points out, only to have his partner shake his head.

"No, more than that. Elena," he states, pointing to the gaping hole in the floorboards.

"What?" Reno asks, and his teammate is somewhat amused to hear the redhead's tone of voice hitch up a notch, drowning in worry. He stalks over to the pit and a series of curses and profanities exit his mouth as he jumps down. "'Lena? 'Lena!"

He cradles her in his arms, as Rude does much the same for Tifa, while keeping an eye on Cloud.

"That's it," Reno hisses, teeth gritted together. "Those motherfuckers are gonna _pay_."

* * *

Deep blue eyes slowly slide open, the blurriness that had affected them before wearing off as their owner begins to focus. Cloud finds himself staring at the ceiling of a room he hasn't stepped foot in for quite a while.

_Seventh Heaven…?_ He ponders mentally as the starting rays of sunset filter through nearby windows. He looks towards them, and spots Tifa in the bed beside his own, a look of peace on her face. He sits up slowly, reaching a hand to his slightly throbbing head as he continues to watch her sleeping form.

"You know, you're pretty heavy," a voice muses, and the blonde turns two see two of the most unexpected people standing near the doorway, watching him.

"Reno? Rude?" Cloud asks.

"That's our names, don't wear 'em out," Reno answers. "And while you're at it, how 'bout you lose some weight, yo?"

"You brought us here?"

"Yes," Rude nods. "We were unable to wake any of you, so I carried Tifa and Elena, while Reno was able to carry you."

"Or drag," Reno mutters.

"Elena…," Cloud starts, looking around the room as an image of speaking with her briefly at the church from her hole in the floorboards comes into his mind. "Is she…?"

"She's alright," Rude nods again. "We set her up in another room. If that's alright."

"Y-yeah," Cloud affirms.

"Why you asking him?" Reno scoffs. "It ain't like he's been 'round to make decisions. Tifa has."

"I know…," Cloud sighs. "I haven't been here…for her…or Denzel and Marlene."

"Speakin'a which," Reno snaps his fingers. "They ain't here."

Cloud's eyes fall and he looks to the ground, not responding.

"You don't care?" Rude growls, fists clenching again.

"I just…," the blonde hesitates, looking over at Tifa.

"You're a real handful," Reno comments, before leaving the room. He wanders down the hall and wills his nerves to calm as he finds himself entering Elena's room. _Why the fuck am I so nervous? God, Reno, you're losing your freakin' touch._

He sees that she's still passed out, and decides that he should just leave, not fully understanding why he came here instead of heading out for a smoke like he'd planned. He turns to go, but a small and weak "hey" keeps him from moving.

He looks over his shoulder, and sees Elena push herself into a slight sitting position, wincing at the pain that racks her body.

"Not smart," he comments, coming over to help her. "You're supposed to be resting, not moving around and openin' up wounds."

"I just sat up, I'm not opening up any wounds, Mr-Worry-Wart," Elena states, a ghost of a smile appearing on her lips.

"So, how're you doing?"

"I got shot, kidnapped, beaten up, beaten up some more, and shot repeatedly," Elena chuckles. "How do you think I feel?"

"Right, dumbass question," he shakes his head. "Sorry."

"No, it's alright," she smiles, reaching out with place a small hand on his own at the side of the bed. "I'm glad you cared enough to worry about me."

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it," he states stiffly, realizing he's letting his nonchalant walls falter and fall away. He pulls his hand away and cracks his knuckles, smirking. "As soon as you're up and at 'em again, you're on probation."

A look of hurt flashes across her face, and he knows it isn't the injury kind, making him regret his distancing. She quickly masks it with a frown. "What the hell am I on probation for?" she snaps. "Last I checked, I passed probation two years ago, and if anything, the Crater abduction is your fault, _boss_."

"Yeah…," he sighs in defeat. "I'm sorry, 'Lena. I totally sucked out at protection you…"

"You couldn't have done anything," she smiles reassuringly, flexing her fingers on the mattress and resisting the annoying urge to reach for his hand again. "You were in the chopper, and it was total mist everywhere. It wasn't your fault."

"But—"

"It _wasn't_ your fault," Elena states with more emphasis than before. "Besides, I'm a Turk, remember? I'm supposed to be trained to watch my own back, and not need others to do the protecting."

"'Lena…I—"

The door swings open and Reno mentally pictures himself getting out his EMR to beat Rude senseless as his prize for "Worst Timing Ever Award".

"Strife's gone back for a rest," Rude states, and both his co-workers can hear the underlying annoyance for the spiky-haired blonde bubbling beneath his words.

"Cloud?" Elena frowns. "So, that wasn't a hallucination brought on by extreme pain, an OD of weird freaky energy and being shot several times?"

"No," Reno shakes his head, the corners of his lips curving up at how innocent she looks at the moment. And at her ability to make light of such a terrible ordeal. If he didn't have a reputation to carry on, he might consider using the word 'cute' right now. "So, what about the kids?"

"I offered to go look," Rude replies, and Reno nods, getting up.

"We'll be back," he promises, looking down at her. "Get some rest."

"I will," she smiles sweetly, and the boys leave the room, closing the door behind them.

"Say one word," Reno begins, noticing Rude's smile from the corner of his eyes as they head down the hall. "And me and the EMR'll play ping pong with the wall and your head."

* * *

Tifa stirs some time later, once the sun has set and the sky's getting dark. She rolls over to find piercing blue eyes watching her through the dark, and sits up to look at Cloud.

"Reno and Rude are out looking," he states, but right now, she has something else on her mind.

"You have Geostigma, don't you?" she asks, and he bows his head. "You're going to give up and die, is that it?"

He doesn't respond, finding the floor particularly interesting at this time.

"So it is," she scoffs, appalled.

"There's no cure," he tells her as an excuse.

"Yeah, but, that's not stopping Denzel, is it?" she exclaims, leaning on the edge of her bed to come closer to him. "Don't run! Let's fight it together! We can help each other, I know we can."

Again, he doesn't respond, not trusting his words.

"I guess…that only works for real families," she sighs.

"Tifa, I'm not fit to help anyone – not my family, not my friends," he shakes his head. "Nobody."

"Dilly dally, shilly shally," she breathes, and he suddenly looks up, eyes wide, not quite believing that he's just heard Tifa use **_her_** expression. "Dilly dally, shilly shally!"

"I think she wants you to move on, man," Reno states, and they both turn to see him and Rude standing in the doorway, having just arrived.

"Did you find them?!" Tifa quickly questions.

"No, only a witness," Reno shakes his head. "Kadaj's gang took the kids."

"Where are they?" Cloud asks.

"Their base," Rude states, not looking at the blonde but over him, to Tifa. "The Forgotten City."

"Go," he tells the Turks, getting up to face them. "I have to talk to Rufus."

"Stop running!" Tifa shouts and he looks over his shoulder at her. "I know, even if you find the kids you might not be able to help them. Maybe something will happen that can never unhappen that scares you, doesn't it?! But you need to think about now, really take it in! Look at you; you think you got it so damn hard!"

The two Turks standing by the door exchange glances with one another, feeling that they're in the room when they shouldn't be.

"Well, you hate being alone so let people in!" she continues. "Sure, you don't answer the phone, but I don't see you throwing it away either!"

"You go," Reno smirks, looking at Cloud with a daring expression. "The base is all yours."

The redhead nods in Tifa's direction before leaving the room, going off to see if Elena's awake again or not. Rude hesitates in following.

"Fine," Cloud states, not saying another word before walking out.

"He's such an ass," Rude mutters, and although he thinks he's said it low enough for her not to hear, Tifa picks up on it.

"Yeah, he is," she agrees, and he's stunned to hear it. Although he normally masks his emotions, his shock elevates when she detects it. "What? Don't looks so surprised. I…I know he's stubborn and, I know it makes him a complete ass at times like this but…he really can't let her go. He can't let the memory fade and it still haunts him."

"I'm sorry," he states.

"What for?" she frowns.

"After all these years, you try so hard and…he clings to a memory."

"Heh, I think…I've kind of…gotten used to it."

"It doesn't matter," he shakes his head. "It's horrible and he should be ashamed to ever let a great girl like you go."

_Elena was right all those times we talked about Rude…he really does have a sweet side…_, Tifa thinks to herself, smiling.

"Thank you, Rude," she smiles kindly. "That's really sweet."

If Tifa didn't know any better, she'd say that a small bit of pink crept up onto the tall Turks' cheeks, but she never gets a chance to ask as the door opens and Reno sticks his fire-red head in, grinning.

"Gotta go, big guy, got more freaking work to do," the redhead states boredly, "boss won't let us spend time with 'Lena yet."

"Must be awful for you," Tifa grins, and Reno narrows his eyes, going from her to Rude repeatedly. "What?"

"You two…never mind," he shakes his head, before leaving the room and after smiling a genuine smile at her, Rude follows.

Outside, Reno leans against a wall, smirking triumphantly, and Rude merely adjusts his shades, clearing his throat. "I believe your earlier statement was something about speaking and playing volleyball with my head and the wall?" Rude inquires, glancing sideways at his friend. "Same goes."

"Actually," Reno smirks. "It was ping pong, but whatever floats your boat."

Tifa hears their conversation die out as they leave, and then pushes herself up and out of bed, leaving the room. She slowly wanders down the hall, and spots one of the doors ajar. She shuffles over and peers in, and steps in upon seeing the blonde Turk lying there.

"Hey," Tifa greets just as Elena looks up. "How are you?"

"Worse than you, apparently, since I'm not walking yet," the blonde sighs, and Tifa offers her a sympathetic smile as she sits down at the foot of the bed. "You?"

"I'm sore all over, and pretty bruised, something might be broken, but I guess I'm kind of okay," Tifa shrugs. "Worried and angry though."

"Interesting combination."

"It's easy to make messed up emotions when Cloud's around," Tifa mutters.

"Ouch," Elena winces, both in sympathy and in pain as what she guesses to be stitches on her back tug slightly when she moves. "Y'know, I still don't know why you're holding out for him."

"Why?"

"Well, it's just; you've been pining after the guy for what, two years?"

"Uh, more like…three…," Tifa sighs, hoping it's not more.

"See," Elena states. "It's not right. If he was any kind of smart, he'd have gotten his act together long ago and done something about it, instead of just leaving you hanging, holding onto the dearest hope that he notices and returns the love you're starting to think is unrequited."

"You sound like you know a lot about this sort of thing."

"Hello? Pined after Tseng since day one at the ShinRa Company."

"Oh…"

"Yeah. When I joined up, and got picked for the elite Turk team, I was thrilled. I'd seen him before on recruiting missions and totally found myself attracted. Unfortunately, being Rookie on a team surrounded by men all a few years older than yourself apparently translates into total stupidity and school-girl-ness when you try to impress," she sighs, shaking her head as memories come flooding back to her. "Tseng was so sophisticated, and together and…perfect. And I was a total idiot to think he'd be interested in me. But, being fresh out of IW, I was like a schoolgirl and kept thinking he was gonna notice me."

"Did he?" Tifa inquires.

"Nope, basically threw myself at him for the last few weeks before his mission at the Temple of the Ancients…and then…he…," Elena breaks off, unable to go any further as memories of Tseng come fresh in her mind, making tears bubble at the edges of her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Tifa nods, sniffling slightly in sympathy.

"Don't worry about it, it's in the past," Elena states.

"You sure about that?"

"Not really…I…I still think about him sometimes and…well…"

"You haven't moved past him?" Tifa inquires, and sadly, Elena nods her head. "Hm, seems to me like you would've…"

"Why do you say that?"

"You and Reno kind of…," Tifa pauses as she sees a look of shock flicker across the blonde's face, before being hidden away being the perceptive one she had previously adorned. "What? Did I…did I just figure something out…?"

"What? No!" Elena shakes her head a little too enthusiastically.

"I did!" Tifa grins excitedly. "C'mon Elena, after spending a bunch of time together since Meteor, you can't deny me something like this! We're friends!"

"I know…," Elena sighs. "Just…don't say a word, alright? If Reno found out t-that I felt this way he'd…he'd never let me live it down."

"I promise I won't say anything," Tifa nods. "But, that doesn't mean I don't think you're wrong."

"Well, guess we've both got suggestions about each other's love lives that seem hard to believe or except," Elena smirks, and they continue talking about it until much later.

* * *

_Coming up…_

_Act Four: Sickness. Unity. Change._

- _Kadaj infects the Geostigma children._

- _Cloud goes looking for Marlene, Denzel and the others._

- _The silver-haired men keep Cloud out._

_Marlene meets up with Cloud, and with her comes a living memory of what haunts him._


	5. Act Four: Sickness, Unity, Change

* * *

**Faith: As usual, your reviews keep my going. Thanks guys! :) Therefore, I present to you the (way too) delayed chapter four. Have fun! and leave me your thoughts, eh? ;)  
**

* * *

_**ACT FOUR – SICKNESS. UNITY. CHANGE.**_

* * *

_"To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life."_ **_– Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)._**

* * *

"Mother has given me a very special gift!" Kadaj yells, opening his arms wide as he speaks to the large group of children across the small lake from him. Behind him stand his two brothers, Yazoo holding Adelia's arms, and Loz with a strong hand on Marlene's shoulder. "The power to fight…against a Planet that torments humanity. She gave this gift to all her children. That's right – you and I are brethren. Brothers and sisters, chosen when we inherited Mother's mimetic legacy through the Lifestream. But, we are the ones who respect that destiny, whereas the "adults" with Mother's legacy shun it and look down upon it, and try to stop us from continuing it! The Planet doesn't approve either! It's doing everything it can to hold us back. That's why it's racking out bodies with pain and filling our hearts with doubt!"

Murmurs break out amongst the rows of children like ripples in a pond, and Kadaj exchanges a satisfied smirk with his siblings, before raising his arms welcomingly. "Now I shall heal you! And we will go to Mother together! We will join as a family and strike back against the Planet!"

"No!" Adelia cries, tugging against Yazoo's grip. "Don't listen to him! He's trying to turn all of you against the people of Edge, of Midgar, and of the world we live in! He's trying to turn you against the people that love you!"

"These children have been outcast by those so-called "_loving people_" and thrust into a life of misery, dealing with the Planet's revenge on their own!" Kadaj snaps, turning to glare at her. "I'm offering them a chance to prove that those people were wrong to push them away, and that the Planet was wrong to hold us down! Mother's legacy must go on, and we will take our rightful place as—"

"Your rightful place is six feet under the ground," Adelia taunts, before being slapped across the face, leaving a stinging sensation on her cheek. "What's wrong? Can't handle the truth?"

"You speak nothing but insolence," Kadaj sneers. "Just like your friend. Your poor friend, who really doesn't seem to trust you, if she hasn't told her secret."

"What are you talking about? You're…you're changing the subject!"

"Not at all," he shakes his head, grinning maliciously, his arms coating themselves in a grey-blue aura as he takes a step towards her. "She has everything to do with taking revenge; only, she's on the wrong side. She's not fighting with the rest of Mother's children, like she should be. She's not grateful for Mother's legacy, and instead sides with the Planet, trying to stop us, all while suffering the pain and doubt that the Planet has given all of Mother's children."

Adelia frowns a moment, thinking about his cryptic message, before narrowing her eyes, which had begun to shine a brilliant emerald as her powers kicked into life. Magic courses through her fingers as she glares at him. "Liar."

Kadaj smirks, but it is swiftly wiped away as he gets pushed back a step or two by a powerful wave of magic. He cringes, twisting his face with disgust at the pureness of her abilities. The grey-blue glow around his arms brightens, and he starts towards her, only to be pushed back again as a powerful wave knocks Yazoo down, allowing her full use of her powers.

"You're a liar, and you're completely insane to think you'd get away with kidnapping and trying to fool all these children," Adelia states, getting to her feet. "You have no right to take them away, and fill their minds with ludicrous stories of legacies and cures. They have a sickness, which does not have a known cure right now, and hopefully have one soon. But to take them away from their homes, their streets, their friends, and give them a false hope coated in darkness…it's disgusting. It's shameful!"

She takes a step forward, and a small green-white wisp of energy floats out from her, curling around Kadaj's middle and lifting him a few inches off the ground. Her eyes shine brightly now, and small spurts of green-white energy dance at her fingertips, eager to escape.

"The Planet is pure, and the Lifestream with it, and you and your brothers are trying to disrupt it," she tells him, tightening her magic's hold on him.

"We're not trying to disrupt it, we're trying to change it, to mold it into Mother's image, like she'd tried to do when she arrived here so many years ago," Kadaj hisses, his grey-blue glow increasing yet again, making her magic falter for a moment. "Like you're doing now! I sensed it when we first took you and your friend away from Mother's Crater. Your energy is intriguing, it's pure and full of white magic and…disgusting."

"'Scuse me for being a little bit optimistic and bright," she rolls her eyes.

"No…it makes me think of another…but…," Kadaj's body suddenly convulses in grey-blue energy, and the resulting blast frees him from Adelia's magic. He smirks, finally having bought enough time for the Materia in his arm to charge.

He strikes out, catching her on the side of the jaw with his Materia-strengthened punch, and because so much magic is infused it in, she goes flying off her feet. She crashes into a nearby tree, and it's clear she's broken an arm, because it lies at a funny angle.

"Adelia!" Marlene shouts, tearing away from Loz's grip and running to the brunette, crouching beside her. She makes sure she's okay before turning her head to glare at the silver-haired man who hurt her friend. "You hurt her!"

"She's an obstacle to Reunion if she keeps up that attitude and power," Kadaj spits, nonchalant, glaring at the small girl with viral eyes. "Her essence is pure, like a bright little light amongst a sea of burnt bulbs. If she doesn't stop trying to get in the way, I may just have to snuff out that little light - _permanently_. And it would be my _pleasure_ to do so."

Marlene whimpers worriedly, turning back to Adelia and hugging her gently.

A grey-blue aura surrounds Kadaj again, burning fiercely after taking out his opposition. He turns to the children, putting on a face of sincerity. "You heard her words; she said there is no cure! She is in line with the Planet and with those who refuse to honor Mother's legacy!" Kadaj yells, bringing their attention and _trust_ back to him. "You wish to be free of the Planet's ailing curse. You will be free! Together, we will be free, and take back our rightful place in this world!"

The kids watch, in awe, as Kadaj steps into the lake. "Do as I do," he states, walking in until it's waist-deep. The blue aura pulses outwards, and travels through the water, turning it black as night. He acts as if this is nothing, cupping his hands together and gathering water that he brings upwards and drinks.

Afterwards, he lets his arms fall loosely, splashing slightly on the surface of the water, and he grins triumphantly, watching the kids. Hesitantly, the first few enter the water, and then slowly but steadily, they all follow.

"Denzel! Denzel!" Marlene yells from the sidelines, watching with worry as the boy, and so many other children, cup their hands with water and drink from the black lake. She looks down at the unconscious Adelia, gripping her hand tightly as all the kids look upwards, their eyes narrowed, and their pupils thinned into viral slits. "What's happened to them…?"

* * *

Cloud tightens his grip on the bike handles, Fenrir's engine roaring beneath him as he speeds down the road towards Kadaj. He hates being back here, in the Sleeping Forest, so close to the Forgotten City, where…no, now is not the time for that. Now is the time for—

With a loud hissing noise, bullets whip past his head, body and bike.

He looks up and spots Yazoo and Loz standing beside Kadaj, their guns going off full-tilt. He dodges the bullets; his bike swerving slightly on the road as side panels open to reveal an array of swords. He picks one, continuing to dodge bullets.

Kadaj steps forward and raises his hand, signaling something, and soon, the road is filled with the missing children. Cloud's eyes widen, and he jumps from the bike, letting it fall horizontal and skid across the road in a shower of sparks until Loz stops it with his boot. Children jump out of its way, quickly landing and proceeding in surrounding him, alongside Kadaj.

"I'm glad you could make it!" Kadaj grins.

"I only came for the kids," Cloud states, and the silver-haired man cackles, pointing at the blonde with one hand, and signaling the children with the other.

"See this man?! He's our big brother, but alas, in our happy flock, he's one of our _black sheep_," Kadaj declares.

"One?" Cloud inquires, but Kadaj ignores him, drawing his double-edged katana to strike. A small scream erupts from nearby as Marlene rushes out from between a cluster of trees, only to be caught by Loz's strong arms.

"Cloud!" she calls worriedly and Kadaj pauses.

It's enough hesitation for Cloud, who grabs the sword off the ground beside him and stands, swiping it towards Kadaj. The latter leaps into the air, flipping backwards and landing on a nearby cluster of trees, with the kids.

Yazoo's gunfire returns and Loz pushes Marlene aside, rushing forward, his claw-arm glowing fiercely thanks to the Materia inside it. He seems to flicker in and out of existence, popping from one side of the road to the other as he runs towards Cloud.

He gets close enough and leaps into the air, and Cloud brings up his sword to block the flurry of kicks and punches thrown his way. Loz has speed, that's a given, but Cloud blocks his hits, always finding his attacker as a blue glow covers the muscular man.

Even with the Haste Materia in his claw-arm, Loz has some difficulty landing a blow on the ex-SOLDIER, and so, he spins, putting his weight into a large punch that smashes into Cloud's sword and sends the blonde hurtling through the air.

"Heh," Loz scoffs, unimpressed. Cloud glares at him, before lunging forward. He misses as the man dodges his hit, then grabs him and tosses him down the road. This time, instead of skidding to a stop, Cloud lands on his knees – hard. His sword falls to the ground in front of him.

He stares at it a moment, before grabbing it and jumping to his feet, blocking the attack of the oncoming Yazoo. The silver-haired man merely hits him so hard he goes flying back again, and a hail of bullets follow him.

Cloud uses his sword to deflect the bullets, before jumping forward to battle Yazoo. The latter uses his Gunblade to block, and easily knocks Cloud back with no weapon whatsoever, merely a roundhouse kick.

From behind, Loz grunts, charging up his machine-arm and smashing it into the ground. It tears up a thick layer of dirt and rock, and the wave comes roaring towards Cloud and Yazoo. The silver-haired man has his back turned to the oncoming force of nature, and smirks before jumping away, firing as he flies backwards through the air.

Cloud's energy and attention is on deflecting the bullets, but he manages to stop Yazoo's fire before charging up his sword. A white-blue glow surrounds his weapon, and he cries fiercely as he strikes the ground, sending a thin slice of white-blue energy at the mass of oncoming earth.

The resulting explosion shakes the ground around them, and dust blows into the air. Cloud has very little time to recover from the blast and the amount of dust around, before Loz comes speeding towards him, stabbing him in the stomach with a powerful blast of energy from the claw-arm.

Cloud grunts and goes flying backwards, dueling Loz in mid-air, as momentum carries them. He manages to knock the muscular man away, only to have the trigger-happy Yazoo come lunging into the fight.

Distracted by one brother, he doesn't see Loz come back with extreme speed and a fully charged claw-arm, and thus is grabbed from behind and thrown high into the air. Yazoo smirks and leaps up after him, using his Gunblade to duel the ex-SOLDIER in mid-air again.

He manages to kick Cloud around a bit, and as he falls away, Yazoo shoots with post barrels, blasting Cloud's main sword away from him. He lands on a tree branch with his smaller sword, while his main weapon slices into a tree trunk and stays there.

"Great," he mutters, before jumping towards it. He grabs the handle and swings himself to stand on it, just in time to look down and see Loz standing there, smirking. He charges his claw-arm and smashes it into the base of the thick tree-trunk, shattering it.

Cloud is torn between trying to wrench his weapon free of the slowly falling tree, and deflecting a shower of gunfire from his left with his smaller sword. He flips to the other side of the sword, tearing it loose and deflecting more of Yazoo's bullets, just before the tree trunk beneath him shatters and explodes, Loz surging up through it.

The three men are launched into the air, and a fierce battle plays out between them, Cloud fighting one brother with one sword, and the other with his second sword. Eventually he's kicked away, and lands on another tree branch, locking the smaller sword back into place with the big one to make one whole weapon.

He glances down and to his right, and spots Kadaj glaring at him. He knows from what he's seen and heard, that Kadaj is the leader, and so he kicks off from the tree, diving towards him through the air.

Kadaj chuckles in amusement, and spins, slashing away against Cloud's sword with his own double-bladed Katana. Cloud stares at him a moment, before bringing his sword to meet his opponent again.

His ability to defy gravity holds true as he's kicked backwards and Kadaj follows, aiming for his head. Cloud is able to bring up his sword to deflect most of the hit, but the force of impact still sends him crashing to the ground. His phone flies out of his pocket and spins away, falling in a large puddle, as Kadaj lands a few feet away.

Before he can even think of finishing off the ex-SOLDIER, a mass of red emerges from the trees nearby, curling itself around Cloud's shape. Kadaj gasps as bullets come tearing through the air in his direction and he brings up his Katana, twirling it through the air to deflect the little oncoming metal dangers away from him.

Yazoo and Loz step in beside their brother, and Yazoo begins his return fire, but the shots coming from the depths of the red cloak are much faster, stronger and frequent, and the three are almost forced to retreat before the cloak does that for them.

It swirls upwards, taking Cloud with it, and the silver-haired men notice the shape of a man with long black hair, just as it disappears amidst the treetops, getting away.

"Dammit!" Kadaj swears. "That bastard's taken _another_ one of our siblings away!"

"What do you mean?" Loz frowns and Yazoo rolls his eyes.

"It's the half-breed, the one that helped the Turks escape the first time," he snarls, venom dripping off his words. "He helped big sister escape from us earlier."

"After what you did to her, it was the best choice," a voice hisses from the shadows behind them, and all three silver-haired men turn just as a mass of red and black comes whipping towards them.

In a flash, Loz was no longer standing with his brothers, but was instead being dragged through the air by the black-haired individual. He tries to pull away, but sharp metal claws have pieced his leather suit, and refuse to unclench from him.

Loz grunts, attempting to charge his claw-arm and attack his assailant, but the black-haired man is too quick, spinning through the air and whipping Loz at a nearby tree. He hits it, and hears his back crack an unhealthy sound, wincing in pain before falling to the ground some ten feet below.

"That was for Adelia," Vincent states.

"Loz," Yazoo growls, watching as his brother comes crashing to the ground, the black-haired man landing a few feet away and dusting off his metallic claw. "Chaos."

"A man once created Chaos, with me, and called me that. But in the end," Vincent begins, his cloak billowing in a non-existent wind in the Sleeping Forest. "He was slaughtered for the wrongs he had created."

"That means you're a wrong, then," Yazoo sneers, cocking his Gunblade. "And wrongs must be righted, or eliminated."

Yazoo rushes forward, his gun firing off wildly, but all the bullets just seem to miss his target. He roars in anger, raising his gun to hit Vincent as he reaches him, but the latter merely reaches up with his metal claw, clamping it around the silver-haired man's wrist.

He tightens his grip, and the metal grinds together, putting so much pressure on Yazoo's wrist that soon enough, a loud pop resonates in the quiet forest, and he screams. Indifferently, Vincent brings his three-barrel gun up, points it at Yazoo's stomach, and fires.

The man yells again, and crumples to the ground once Vincent lets go of him. "That," Vincent states, glaring at the fallen man, who clutches his bleeding stomach. "Was for Elena."

"You're messing with things you shouldn't be," Kadaj hisses, twisting his Katana in his grasp, walking towards Vincent.

"No, I stayed away and _slept_ when Jenova's "child" committed so many atrocities," Vincent states, clenching and unclenching his claw. "I will not stand by and watch the excess evil continue them, and create new ones."

"_Excess_ evil?!" Kadaj yells angrily, lunging forward. "I will show you the power of a remnant!"

He slashes out, but Vincent merely moves a bit to the left, allowing the blade to cut through nothing but air, and possibly his cloak, but it's already so destroyed it doesn't seem to bother him. The dark-haired man continues to dodge the rage-filled strikes that Kadaj throws, and continuously misses.

Finally, frustrated and annoyed, Kadaj steps back, and a grey-blue glow surrounds him. He points his arm towards Vincent, and the glow gets brighter and brighter, as a shot charges up. He doesn't get far enough along to fire though, because the red-cloaked figure darts forward, grabbing Kadaj's arm and twisting it backwards.

He pins it behind him, twisting it to assure his grip. Kadaj grunts, and tries to free himself, or to slash backwards with the Katana in his other hand, but Vincent grabs his shoulder as well, and uses brute force to whisk Kadaj off his feet, flip him upside down, and send him crashing to the ground.

As his face meets the ground, Kadaj feels the pressure of one of Vincent's pointed metal boots on his back. He groans, and glances upwards, finding himself face-to-face with three barrels of _Cerberus_, Vincent's gun.

Before the man can say anything, he turns his head slightly, as if hearing or sensing something, and begins to turn, before remembering the silver-haired man beneath his foot. He looks down, points the gun at Kadaj's closest leg, and fires off a round.

The sound echoes in the nearby forest, along with Kadaj's yell, but Vincent doesn't pay it any mind as he disappears between the trees, leaving the three silver-haired siblings to their pain.

* * *

Clouds sighs, leaning his slightly aching back against a tree by the small lake. Vincent arrives then in a flash of swirling red and black, and Cloud looks up.

"See? I knew I'd be no help," he states glumly.

"I come here often," Vincent reveals, looking out at the dark-colored lake. "I've seen what Kadaj's crew is doing."

Moving swiftly, Vincent appears at his side, grabbing hold of Cloud's covered arm. "The stigma," he breathes. "It's a symptom of alien matter infesting the body; the body tries to eliminate it and overcompensates. Inside our bodies is a current, like the Lifestream, that current is what fights off any malevolent intruders."

"What do you mean by _intruders_?" Cloud frowns.

"The Sephiroth Gene. Jenova's mimetic legacy. Call it what you want."

"You're well informed."

"Elena and Adelia – they were brought here half-dead," Vincent states. "They must have been brutally tortured. Adelia was able to heal them, nearly exhausting all her power, and I helped them escape."

"Adelia?" Cloud's frown deepens a moment. "Rufus mentioned her name…she's…the new Turk, isn't she?"

"Yes," Vincent nods. "I'm surprised you haven't met her yet…she's quite…intriguing…"

"Yeah, haven't been around much," Cloud sighs. "But, Rufus, he was saying something about the Northern Crater. And them being abducted from there…"

"They got their hands on Jenova's head," Vincent states.

Cloud's eyes widen a moment, and he scoffs, figuring he should've known that Rufus was lying when he said they hadn't found anything. "Then when Kadaj says he's looking for Mother…"

"Heaven's dark harbinger," Vincent nods. "The calamity – Jenova. If they wanted to, they could recreate Sephiroth."

"Kadaj…what is he?"

"Hm. I would rather now know."

Their conversation cuts short as bushes nearby rustle and move, and they quickly turn around, hands on their weapons. They stand, only to see Marlene come running out.

"Marlene!" Cloud's eyes widen, and she runs up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him.

"Cloud!" she exclaims happily, before looking up. "Denzel, Tifa, and Elena!"

"Tifa and Elena are alright, they're back at home," Cloud informs her.

"I wanna talk to her!" Marlene shouts, and Cloud reaches for his phone, but finds it missing. He frowns, and Marlene looks over at Vincent.

"May I?"

Vincent silently lifts his red cloak, showing her that he doesn't have a phone.

"You don't have a phone?!" she cries, amazed.

"Vincent, will you bring Marlene to Tifa?" Cloud requests. "I'm going to see ShinRa and get a few answers."

"I can't do that," Vincent shakes his head.

"But I…"

"Forget it, Cloud!" Marlene snaps, angered. She takes a few steps back, glaring up at him. "Why don't you ever pay any attention to us?!" She sniffles before running over to Vincent and hiding halfway under his red cloak, looking towards Cloud.

"Marlene, please, give me some time," he sighs. "There's a battle to be fought, but it's not as simple as just fighting. Understand?"

"No, I don't!" she shakes her head vigorously.

"Why is it always about fighting?" a soft voice inquires, and Cloud freezes. He watches Marlene's face light up, and Vincent's expression flickers for a moment, before the little girl races past him.

He turns to follow her path, and his eyes widen as he sees the little girl jump into the arms of someone that…someone that can't be here because…he _saw_ her die! He laid her to rest in the lake nearby! And his dreams had been filled with haunting guilt since then!

"So, did you give him heck like we planned?" the woman inquires, and he notices a slight difference in speech pattern, but not by much. As Marlene nods, a smile graces the brunette's face, and Cloud remembers the last time he saw it.

"C'mon!" Marlene exclaims, grabbing the woman's hand and dragging her towards the two men. "You've gotta meet him!"

"Marlene…," Vincent calls, seeing the look of shock on Cloud's face, and the fact that his eyes do not leave the brunette for a moment. "Come here a moment…"

"Why…?" the young girl frowns, but seems to catch on at least a little when looking from the ex-SOLDIER to the young woman, and nods, running towards him. The ex-Turk takes the young girl a little ways away, out of earshot, and by the small lake, watching her skip rocks across the water.

"You…," Cloud breathes, realizing he can't think of what to say as he regards the woman before him. He frowns, noticing that she wears a black suit…a _Turk_ suit. _How is she here? How is this possible?_ "Are you…real? Or am I dreaming again?"

"I'm not her," she states simply, further confusing him. "The others told me…about her. About how I look like her. Sound like her. But…I'm not."

"But…you…," Cloud begins to protest, but can't find the words to sustain anything coherent.

"Adelia," she replies. "My name is Adelia Gale. I grew up in Kalm, enrolled with ShinRa, and got put in the Magics Department for years, even during the company's fall. Six months ago I was promoted and joined the Turks, alongside Elena, Reno and Rude. I may have much control of magic, and be in tune with nature, but _I'm not her_."

There was a silence for several long moments, and he continues to stare at her, which she understands, so she doesn't say anything. Finally, it's broken when he sighs deeply and shakes his head. "I'm sorry."

The inquiry confuses her a little, and catches her off guard. But before she questions it, he continues. "I just thought…I…it's been two years. And, the memory still haunts me. All the time, I think that I could've stopped it from happening. Stopped her death. But I can't…I know I can't and that's what makes me…it drives me mad," he reveals, sighing again.

"I know how you feel…," she nods, and he frowns, looking up at her. "Well, I-I don't but…Elena's told me something similar before. She's talked about her guilt over Tseng's death."

"He killed him too," Cloud breathes. "Sephiroth."

"Yep," Adelia nods again, quite sadly. "At the Temple of the Ancients; she told me about it. She told me how guilty she felt, that she just stood there when Sephiroth descended and attacked Tseng. She still remembers it clearly…even with the huge wound he got…the others said he'd make it. They said they could get him back to base, and they'd get him healed…"

"They didn't," Cloud finishes, replaying a similar scene in his own mind. It's odd to watch Aerith die again in his mind, and then to look up and see someone who could be her twin. "And neither did I. She…I should've been stronger. I should've stopped him. S-saved…her…"

He breaks off, his voice cracking slightly and Adelia's heart goes out to him, so she places a soft hand on his shoulder. "Dilly dally, shilly shally," she smiles sweetly, and his head snaps up, portraying such a shocked look it nearly frightens her. "It…it means—"

"I…I know…," he nods slowly, eyes still wide. "She…that was her…she used to say it…"

"O-oh!" she gasps, her hands flying to her mouth. "I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to!"

"No…," he shakes his head, moving her hands away with his own. "It's alright; it's…it's kind of nice. It…it almost makes it seem bearable…"

"Maybe…," she begins hesitantly, unsure of how he'll take this. "Maybe you should listen to the saying, and move on. Maybe…maybe you should forgive yourself and start living again. I…I think that if I was her…_if_…I wouldn't blame you. Things just…happen sometimes."

"I'm…," he trails off, shaking thoughts to clear his head. His gaze drops to the ground. "I'm sorry. It's just…you really are like her."

"I know," she nods. "Tifa, Yuffie, Barret. They've all told me, even the Turks. The only difference is my attitude sometimes, but, that's a given. I'm a Turk. A trained killer."

"And she was a flower girl," he chuckles darkly, looking up. "Thank you."

"Huh?" she frowns. "The advice?"

"Sort of," he nods a bit, and she smiles.

"No problem." He stands, and then helps her up before looking down towards the lake where Vincent and Marlene are. "Marlene!"

"Yeah?" she inquires, finding him with her light brown eyes.

"Let's go," he states, and she jumps excitedly, running towards them with a huge grin plastered on her face. He turns to look at Adelia, and ignores the flare from deep within at her resemblance, her utter reflection of Aerith. "You coming along, or…?"

"I-I need to find Elena," she nods. "At the church, she was—"

"She's at the Seventh Heaven – healing," Cloud informs her, and she sighs, relieved. "It's where I'm taking Marlene, because Tifa will be there for her."

"If that's your way of offering a ride, then yes, and thank you," Adelia chuckles, making a ghost of a real smile flicker across his lips.

_She's right…her personality is slightly different_.

"Well," he breathes, looking up at Vincent. "Thank you for your help. I've got to get these two to the Seventh Heaven, and see what I can do about getting sins forgiven. I'll phone in the verdict."

* * *

_Coming up…_

_Act Five: Confrontation. Duel. Monster._

- _Kadaj confronts Rufus, while his brothers meet two Turks in a duel for revenge._

- _An old team reunites, with a new addition, to defeat a powerful creature._

_Reno has a slip-up, followed by a sudden realization, followed by a hit to the head._


	6. Act Five: Confrontation, Duel, Monster

**_Well folks, I left this on hiatus for far too long. I apologize for doing so, and must say that two recent reviews have spurned this update. Also, they made me realize this chapter was nearly finished a long time ago, I just never got around to posting it for some reason._**

**_Apologies aside, hopefully I manage to update this while working, school-working and writing my Dino Thunder series. As always your reviews are awesome!_**

* * *

ACT FIVE – CONFRONTATION. DUEL. MONSTER.

* * *

"_To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." **– **__**Sun Tzu (544-496 BC).**_

* * *

"Hey, what are you doing?" a man yells angrily.

"How do you sickos justify this?!" another adds, and the crowd around them echoes the sentiments as they watch Loz and Yazoo attempt to tear down the monument for Meteor. The two silver-haired siblings merely ignore them, and continue trying. "Hey, look at me when I'm talking to you!"

Annoyed at last, Yazoo turns towards the crowd, raising his hand, and a black smoke-like substance flows outwards. It slides to the ground, where it then materializes and grows upwards to form a dozen or more creatures. They were black-skinned, heavy-armored and based solely upon dark shadows and energies.

The creatures let loose cries before jumping into the crowd of people, which disperses in a fit of screams and wails. The monsters run wild, pushing the people away from the monument, silver-haired siblings and the ring of kids surrounding it.

Through the crowd, Tifa arrives, searching frantically for Denzel amongst the entranced kids. She calls his name several times before she spots him and runs to him. "Denzel!" she yells, shaking his shoulders with worry. The young boy remains unresponsive, and she calls him again.

Meanwhile, Yazoo returns to aid his brother, and they tighten their grip on the chain, pulling harder. The silver-haired man suddenly releases his hold when an electric shock attacks his right side. He frowns angrily, and turns to find the source.

Standing not far away is a redheaded man in a scruffy and wrinkled Turk uniform. His EMR is in hand, the last strands of electrical energy fading away from the tip. Rude towers beside him, trademark sunglasses always in place.

"We know Mother is here!" he yells.

"Do I look like I care?" Reno grumbles, but the silver-haired men ignore this comment.

"Yeah, this, uh, thing – monument thing – ShinRa made it," Loz adds.

"Oh no!" Reno drawls with fake shock. "You're just too clever!"

"Except you're wrong," Rude points out.

"Yeah, and wherever the hell she is, we just don't know."

"What, the peons aren't trusted?" Yazoo smiles wickedly. "Unlike, Blondie, maybe? How is she by the way? Because I'm pretty sure I hit a vital organ with at least _one_ of those bullets."

Reno glares, his nostrils flaring up in anger. Yazoo knows he's hit the mark, and Rude tries to hold his friend back, but does so in vain.

"Stupid arrogant prick!" Reno snaps, launching himself at Yazoo.

* * *

"Say, Kadaj, I've got a question for you," Rufus begins, staring down at parts of Edge from the tall under-construction building he and the silver-haired man find themselves on.

"And I've got an answer."

"You said you needed 'Jenova Cells' in order to be whole again, what did you mean by that?" he inquires, knowing full well that the reason he and Professor Blais worked so hard on their last _project_ was for this.

"Him," Kadaj replies simply, staring up at the sky. "He's coming back."

"Sephiroth," Rufus sighs. "The Nightmare."

"So they say," Kadaj shrugs. "I've never known Sephiroth. I just sense him there; it's unbearable to think Mother might want Sephiroth over me!"

"Poor little remnant," Rufus sneers.

"It doesn't matter who she picks, you'll all meet the same end! Mother came to this Planet after a long journey to rid the cosmos from fools like you!" Kadaj exclaims. "But, you know as well as I do that nothing's changed since she got here. I have to change it to make her happy!"

"Heh, the nightmare returns," Rufus shakes his head.

"As long as you exist, the nightmares will come again and again."

"The Lifestream courses through our Planet, back and forth across the borders of life and death. If that cycle is the very truth of life then, history, too, will inevitably repeat itself."

"What do you mean?"

"Sephiroth was defeated in the end, and the things he tried to do were stopped," Rufus chuckles, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "By the Cetra."

"He killed her," Kadaj points out. "He stabbed her, and then big brother laid her to rest. If only Sephiroth had been smart enough to stop her before she went crying to the Planet for help. But it doesn't matter, she's dead. She can't stop us from the grave. And you're an idiot if you think so."

"Who said anything about her being beyond the grave?" Rufus inquires, and Kadaj's eyes widen.

"What have you done?" he exclaims, his voice raising. "What have you done?!"

"I haven't done anything," Rufus grins, mischief glinting in his eyes. "One of my most trusted piers has. And together, we let the Planet give us another chance. We let the Planet deliver us another savior, to stop the rise of more of Jenova's ilk. And I'm surprised you haven't noticed yet…hah, you call yourself a proper son."

"SHUT UP!" Kadaj screams, lashing out with his arm, which whistles through the air, just above Rufus' head.

"Had I not been in a wheelchair, that pitiful attempt to redeem yourself might've worked," Rufus chuckles, and Kadaj's eyes thin into narrow slits. "So go on - bring your Jenovas and your Sephiroths. It won't matter. We'll do as life and the Planet dictates, and stop you every single time."

"Is that what you've done?" Kadaj inquires, glaring. "_As the Planet dictates_? What did you do; tinker with the Lifestream until you absorbed the Ancient's power into a jar?"

"Humph, you really are stupid," Rufus sneers. "With your powers, it's a wonder you haven't sensed her true nature."

There is a silence that settles between them, and it finally clicks, making Kadaj's fists tighten.

"I knew something was curious about her essence…," Kadaj growls, one of his arms beginning to glow grey-blue. "Her magic was much too strong for a simple girl from Kalm, even if she trained under the ShinRa Company for so long. You're going to be sorry for telling me…"

"Sorry? Why?" Rufus chuckles again, looking out over the edge. "I've never had this much fun. And it's not like you can do much. You've got no idea where she is, do you?"

"I'm tired of this," Kadaj growls, turning towards the edge. "It's time to put and end to it!"

He raises his glowing arm, and a blast of blue shoots out from it, creating a series of halos covered with runes and symbols. A beam forms between these circles, and shoots up into the sky, up through the clouds.

Suddenly, Bahamut-Sin, a large dragon-humanoid-hybrid summon, comes flying down, breaking a small sound barrier as it shoots towards the town square of Edge. Down below, the crowd begins to scream and ran around frantically, trying not to get crushed.

"And so it comes…," Kadaj grins, watching his creation descend upon the city.

* * *

"Denzel, we have to get away!" Tifa yells, tugging on Denzel's arm again. She pleads frantically after looking up to see Bahamut, but she still can't break him from the strange trance.

She hears a strange growl from behind her, and turns to see a large shadow monster leap towards her. She reaches her fist back, readying a punch, but before she gets to it, a large foot stomps on the creature. It bursts into a cloud of wispy black dust, and Tifa looks up slowly.

For a moment the towering creature stares back, but then it jumps away, landing on the Meteor monument. The force of its beating wings makes Tifa falter slightly, but she grabs Denzel and pulls him away.

As Bahamut beats its wings and grips the sides of the Meteor monument firmly, it roars. Down below on the street, Reno and Rude, who were running towards their opponents, skid to a stop. Looking up to stare at the massive creature, Reno throws an arm back, and it just happens to be the arm with the EMR.

His partner also has the luck to be in the path of said arm, and is on the receiving end of the thankfully uncharged flailing EMR. Rude reels from the hit and his sunglasses are knocked clean off his face as he goes crashing backwards. Reno continues to stare up at Bahamut, completely unaware of the situation.

His mouth drops open as Bahamut roars again, and cursing silently, Rude gets to his feet, holding a hand over his nose. His sunglasses are already back in place.

"Heh…heh…," Reno breathes nervously, his voice catching in his throat. "H-hello!"

"Oh no…," Rude agrees, before leaning a fair distance backwards as his friend whirls around, the EMR once again flailing through the air dangerously. He stares up at Bahamut for a split second before following the redheaded and running away.

Reno goes only a little ways before he and his partner skid to a stop, noticing that kids from the ring around the monument aren't moving, even when there's _clearly_ danger. They don't bother to notice Yazoo and Loz coming for them, and instead proceed in picking up the nearest kids…or at least – trying to.

Thanks to his bulk, Rude manages to, but Reno, with his lanky frame, is not as lucky. He grabs a small blonde child around the waist, and starts to pull him up, but the kid resists, pushing at his shoulders and face. The kid's fingers find Reno's nose, and the redhead grimaces, being suddenly reminded of an annoying miniature version of Rufus.

His thoughts are broken when he hears a yell, and he looks up just in time to see Yazoo's foot headed for his face. He reacts purely upon instinct, pulling the mini-Rufus with him as he dodges and runs out of the crazy silver-haired man's path.

Watching all of the frightened crowd below, Bahamut charges its energies. A large blue orb appears in its open mouth, and it beats its huge wings, flying upwards. Reno and Rude, carrying the children they managed to grab, run full-tilt away, refusing to look back.

"Is it after us?" Reno asks.

"I'm not lookin'!" Rude yells. The crowd alongside them flees, and creates enough space around the monument that when the creature's blast fires and blows the monument to pieces, it doesn't crush anybody.

The two Turks, like most of the people in the town square, as well as Denzel, Tifa, Yazoo and Loz, are thrown at great lengths, screaming and shouting. Although the blast knocked him, Reno recovers quickly, and looks up slightly to see the kids running off.

"Ungrateful brats," he mutters, pushing himself up as his EMR scrapes along the ground. Beside him, Rude gets up as well, and they dust themselves off. Quickly, they notice a presence, and turn to find Yazoo and Loz standing not too far, smirking.

"Are we having fun yet, huh?" Yazoo sneers.

"The time of my life," Reno mutters, rolling his eyes.

"Or should I go get Blondie and her pretty handguns, see if she wants to go another round?"

"I am getting really tired of your crap!" Reno yells, lunging forward, his EMR in hand. He skids to a stop, and aims a roundhouse kick at Yazoo's head, which misses when the latter dodges. As the crowd recovers from the blast and flees around them, Reno advances on Yazoo with a series of punches and kicks that make him step further and further backwards with every hit he dodges or takes.

However, Yazoo lands one of his own, hitting Reno right in the chest, and creating a faint boot mark on Reno's already messy shirt. The Turk is sent sprawling, and groans, but pushes himself back to his feet. _There's no way in hell I'm giving up to this asshole. He needs to be taught a lesson for what he did to 'Lena,_ Reno thinks to himself, before frowning. _Whoa…where did that…? Turks. Turks motto. Right. That's it. No one messes with a Turk._

"When are you gonna call it a day?!" he exclaims, lunging forward, his EMR charged and at the ready. He swings, but misses, as Yazoo leaps away, his black leather coat billowing in the wind as he reaches the top of a small building.

"Just as soon as you give back Mother, that'll be the end of everything," Yazoo states. "Or…are you that desperate to outlast your little girlfriend that you'll keep on fighting? 'Cuz I gotta tell ya, despite the screams and the bleeding, she went on for a bit."

The redhead doesn't respond with anything but an angry growl, glaring up at the silver-haired man. "You really are startin' to be a pain in my ass, y'know? And uh, what's this about a girlfriend, yo?" he shouts, tightening his grip on the EMR handle.

"Hmph," Yazoo scoffs, shaking his head. "Stupid _and_ oblivious. Humans. How pathetic. What's that saying about Blondes and their mental capabilities again? Because, my guess is that you two got it backwards. She's got the brains _and_ the courage while you…"

"Shut the fuck up!" Reno snaps, running towards the building at top speed. He reaches the wall, and leaps up, grabbing onto a pipe with his free hand. He places the EMR in his mouth, and bites down, careful not to electrocute himself, before climbing as quickly as possible to the top.

* * *

Rude catches a strong punch from Loz in one hand, delivering one of his own with his other hand, but his opponent manages to catch it. They tighten their grips, attempting to see who will give in first, all the while glaring at one another across their locked fists.

"Punks! What do you need…," Rude struggles, almost being pushed backwards, before regaining some strength. "…Jenova's head for?!"

As he utters the last words, he springs upwards, smashing his head against Loz's, and headbutting him three more times, while simultaneously kicking upwards with one kneed to catch his opponent in the stomach.

Finally, he grips Loz's hands tighter, and flips him backwards, overtop of him, thinking to smashing him onto the ground, shattering his back. Unfortunately, Loz is strong as well, and brings Rude with him, stopping them both mere inches from the ground, knees bent backwards, backs arched, and faces glaring upwards at one another.

Rude is surprised by the move, and Loz smirks, taking advantage of this.

"This'll be even easier than the girl in the church," Loz chuckles, and Rude's surprised look is washed out by a look of anger. "Ooooh, hit a soft spot, did I?"

It's Loz's turn to grip onto his opponent's hands tighter, before whipping Rude up and forwards, allowing him to stand upright as to hurl Rude away.

* * *

Reno continues to send an array of punches, kicks and EMR hits towards Yazoo, all of which the thin man dodges.

"You're gonna pay for kidnappin' and torturin' Turks!" Reno yells as he skids to a stop after being kicked away. "Ain't nobody messes with Turks!"

"Oh really? Because I think we've _messed_ with two of them just fine so far," Yazoo chuckles, looking towards the redhead. "And what's it to you, anyway? From the looks of it, you don't take your job that seriously."

Reno frowns, and looks at his disheveled uniform appearance, before chuckling. "Heh. Can't say I give a shit about the uniform. Fuck, I'd go without it if I could, but Rufus'd kill me, or 'Lena'd shoot me. Probably both. But whatever, if it means I get to beat the shit outta smart mouths like you who think you know a thing or two about us Turks just because you battled 'Lena, then, hell, the uniform can be fucking rainbow colored for all I care!"

He rushes forward, and Yazoo merely chuckles as he meets Reno's hits with blocks, dodges and blows of his own. Neither fighter seems to be getting anywhere.

"You really are a sad individual," Yazoo taunts, shaking his head. "Look at you – you can't even concentrate. You shouldn't have bothered coming for revenge, you're only embarrassing yourself!"

"Revenge?" Reno frowns, charging his EMR and taking a step back. "Who the hell said anything 'bout revenge?"

"I'm a remnant, not an idiot," Yazoo snaps. "Little Red gets mad 'cuz his girl got hurt, and comes after me, the guy who hurt her."

"_My girl_?" Reno glares, twirling his EMR in his hand. "You're fucking insane."

"And you, poor idiot, are in denial."

"Who the fuck are you to tell me this shit? You're a crazed silver-haired rip-off of Sephiroth for fuck's sake!" Reno yells, and it seems he's finally hit a sore spot as Kadaj's eyes narrow. "Heh. Not so fun now, is it?"

* * *

Rude falls to his knees, grunting at the pain that ignites just about everywhere. He remembers some tough battles before, during the war, training, growing up, Turks. Hell, he remembers sparring against _Tifa_ at the Seventh Heaven during vacation days over the last two years. And now he understands why even she got beat by Loz.

"You're fricking insane," Rude mutters, pushing himself up as best he can.

"All we want is Mother," Loz states. "But you, and your girlfriend, and your friends. You all have to get in the way!"

"Not…my girlfriend…," Rude rumbles, standing up.

"I don't care!" Loz yells. "I want Mother! Where is she?!"

Before Rude can answer, or think of a comeback, a large sign drops from above, hitting him square in the head. He groans, and wobbles in an unstable manner on his feet. "Damn…sign…," he mutters, before grunting as Reno falls from above and brings him to the ground.

Both Turks land in a heap, and Yazoo now stands beside his brother, smirking.

* * *

Bahamut roars, standing up amidst the remains of his vicious destruction of the Meteor monument. It searches through the rubble, and lets out another roar – this time of anger – when it doesn't find what it's looking for.

Nearby, Tifa lies on the ground, her arm protectively around Denzel as the boy wakes. Finally out of the trance, seeing as his eyes are normal again, he moves to look at Tifa, and finds that she's still unconscious.

"Tifa?" he cries, shaking her slightly, but gets no response. He tries again. "Tifa!"

He blinks a few times, looking at her, before whipping his head around to glare at the towering Bahamut monster. "Son of a bitch!" he yells, and gets up to run towards the monster. It turns to see the small boy coming, and roars, almost in amusement.

The sound wakes Tifa up with a start, and she looks up to see Denzel running full-tilt towards a monster that he could never make a scratch on. She's about to yell his name, when her shocked expression is replaced with a smile.

Denzel skids to a step thanks to a strong hand on his shoulder, and looks up to see a tall, muscular man with a robotic arm there. The arm shifts and turns into a huge gun, and he looks down at Denzel, grinning.

The grin turns serious as the gun-arm charges, and he points it towards Bahamut, steadying it with his normal hand. A serious of loud gunshots follow, and the monster's face is hit with a barrage of bullets.

He yells a battle cry, before ceasing his fire and looking at Denzel again. "You look after Tifa!"

"Barret!" Tifa calls, now fully conscious as she stands. He glances over his shoulder, smirking.

"Marlene better be safe, huh!" he calls, before running off towards the creature.

As he does, a red blur goes tearing past him, and both he and Tifa recognize Red XIII's bright red fur. The lion-wolf roars, before launching himself up at Bahamut, digging his claws into the monster's face.

"Shit!" Barret curses, but it is out of happiness and surprise. He squints his eyes at the red shape dangling from Bahamut's face, and laughs. "Damn, he's got Cait riding shotgun!"

Tifa looks up, and smiles as she spots black fur and golden crown amongst a mass of red and orange. "Heh, guess Reeve wanted to pitch in."

Barret nods, before charging his gun and unleashing a flurry of bullets towards Bahamut as it takes to the sky, roaring. Red XIII and Cait Sith sway dangerously as Bahamut beats its wings and takes flight, Barret ducking just in time to avoid being hit as it goes by overhead.

"We cannot handle this!" Cait cries, clinging to Red XIII's fur so tightly that the lion-wolf almost snaps at him, were it not for their current situation. He agrees however, as he feels his claws slipping from their hold on Bahamut.

The monster roars, finally flicking them off him and back onto the streets of Edge. Cait whines as he goes flying through the air, and when Red XIII lands on all fours, skidding to a stop, a noise somewhere between a canine whimper and a feline roar escapes him. The robotic cat-puppet whines again as he lands on Red XIII's back, hard.

Bahamut starts towards them, but stumbles back when it gets hit by a large green blast from Barret's gun, intertwined with a blue blast from Red XIII and Cait's Materia. The creature only pauses briefly, before standing and starting towards Barret.

The latter gasps, seeing as his gun hasn't reloaded yet. He aims it at the oncoming monster, praying that it charges before it gets too close.

His prayers are answered in a different manner as a shuriken goes whipping through the air, tearing through a part of armored skin on the side of Bahamut's head. The monster roars, and tries to catch the four-point weapon, but fails as it twirls away.

Barret follows the weapon with his eyes, and grins as he watches a teenage girl of eighteen years catch it in mid-air as she glides towards the ground with a parachute. She lands on her feet and crouches down from the impact as her parachute falls over her, just feet away from Tifa and Denzel.

The young ninja grunts and pushes her parachute off her as she stands, grinning. The grin fades a moment later as she brings her free hand to her mouth and gags, showing her old friends that her motion sickness is still as present as ever.

"Alright," she states, turning to face Tifa. "I know what's mine when I see it, and that-" she points up at Bahamut "-is mine! Which means someone's been touching my Materia!"

"The bad guys, naturally," Tifa smiles, and Yuffie frowns.

"Um, old bad guys, or new bad guys?" she questions. "Cuz if it's old then Elena and Addie and-"

"Elena's recovering from several bullet holes at home, and Addie's been kidnapped," Tifa replies. "If that helps clear things up."

"Right, new bad guys," Yuffie nods, tightening her grip on her shuriken, and turning towards Bahamut. "Ooooh, they're totally gonna pay for touching my stuff and hurting my friends!"

She swings her shuriken within her grasp, and takes off towards the fight.

"What's going on?" Denzel inquires.

"They—" Tifa's response is cut short when four large Shadow Creatures materialize out of the ground and come running towards them. Tifa gasps and ducks, holding Denzel close, but nothing ever touches them as a spear gets rammed through the monsters, twirling them around.

They're flung off and down the pavement, where they explode in clouds of dust, and the two look up to see Cid standing there, grinning. "Looked like ya needed some help!" he chuckles, refraining from his usual tactless swearing due to Denzel's presence. He then points up into the sky, where Tifa and Denzel spot an airship. "She's a beauty – my Shera, latest model!"

As Bahamut roars and the other four engage it in battle, Cid grins again, waving at them as he goes off to help. "I'll give ya the damn tour afterwards!"

As Tifa and Denzel watch him go, a mysterious and dark voice reaches them. "Where can I buy a phone?" Vincent asks, his red mantle billowing in a non-existent wind, much like his hair, as he walks past them.

"Who's he?" Denzel asks, totally amazed.

"They're our friends," Tifa smiles, watching the group engage Bahamut in a fierce battle that brings so many memories back to her. _Two years…it's been two years since we've all been here. Well, almost all of—_

Her thoughts are broken by the roar of a bike engine, and Denzel grins as he looks past her, spotting Fenrir on the horizon as it blasts through town, swerving past people. Tifa's face lights up, but it drops slightly when a few things come to mind.

1 – Elena's words about moving on and 2 – he's not alone.

For a moment she thinks its Marlene, but as he skids to a stop nearby, she spots Adelia on the back of the bike and somehow – she's not surprised. After all, she is so much like _her_, that sooner or later, they'd meet and—

"Cloud!" Denzel cries happily, running up to him.

"Marlene will be safe, I took her home," he states.

"Mm," Tifa's smile returns as she nods.

"Elena?" Adelia inquires, climbing off the bike as the side panels open, revealing Cloud's stash of swords. As he arms himself, Tifa looks towards the brunette.

"She's fine. She's back at the Seventh Heaven actually, resting," Tifa states, almost confused as to why Cloud didn't drop Adelia off with Marlene.

"I know, he told me," Adelia smiles. "I just wanted to hear it again, to make sure – and to come see how you're doing."

"Better," Tifa replies, but before she knows it, the brunette reaches a hand towards her. Magic courses at her fingertips and her hand glows green, and in no time, strength and warmth is flooding through Tifa, and all small wounds that had not yet healed, do. "Thank you."

"No problem," Adelia smiles sweetly, and out of the corner of her eye, Tifa sees the stare Cloud aims at her. A stare of wonder, of sadness – and of longing. She sighs, knowing that Elena was right about him.

"I'm going to go back and see Marlene," Denzel announces.

"I'll go with him," Adelia states, answering Tifa's silent worry regarding his safety. "I need to check up on Elena, see if I've got enough energy left to help her out."

"Alright, thanks," Tifa smiles, and the brunette nods.

"Okay," Denzel agrees. "We'll wait for you."

He and Adelia start off down the street, but pause when the young boy pulls at the Turk's sleeve, saying something to her. She smiles a tad awkwardly, and looks back. "We'll see you there, won't we, Cloud?"

"Yeah," he nods, and a sharp pain courses through Tifa's chest, that she does her best to ignore. The two run off, and Cloud revs his engine, giving Tifa enough time to hop on behind him before the blasts off, his tires screeching against the pavement.

* * *

Barret stands on a large metal support beam, firing off round after round at the monster circling above. It roars, coming for him, and he charges another green blast from his gun. He fires it, just as Bahamut spews an orb of blue energy at him, and the resulting explosion blasts Barret from his perch.

Thankfully, he's able to grab onto a piece of metal sticking out from another beam, and holds on tight, looking up to see Vincent riding the shockwave of an explosion of flames. The ex-Turk aims his trusted weapon, Cerberus, and flies straight at Bahamut, firing away.

The creature finds discomfort in the bullets hitting it, and roars, turning away at the last minute as Vincent lands on a support beam, still firing. Bahamut flies southward, and does not notice a man with blonde hair and a large spear running along the length of another support beam.

Cid grins, and leaps forward, raising his spear. The weapon stabs deep into the armored flesh on the back of Bahamut's neck long before Cid even lands on his feet. The monster roars in pain, flipping over in mid-air and heading towards a large towering structure.

Cid's eyes widen as he realizes he's going to be crushed to death, before the air around him rushes by and he finds himself soaring through the air, the back of his shirt held tightly in Red XIII's jaws.

The lion-wolf drops him off at another support beam, and Bahamut smashes its back against the structure, destroying it and causing very little pain to itself at the same time. Angry now, it finds a nearby building and latches on, unleashing a powerful roar into the skies before taking flight again.

It flies just overtop of the support beam Vincent stands on, and he jumps after it, landing on the top of a pillar and firing away. The bullets irritate the monster yet again, and as it turns its flight path around and heads towards him, he stops.

He leaps away at the last second, and Bahamut crashes through his previous position, destroying the metal beam. Swaying slightly in the air, it doesn't take notice as a young ninja uses all of her balance and skill to run up the side of a tall pillar, and kick off, soaring backwards through the air.

Yuffie launches her shuriken towards the creature, tearing at the side of its face again, and it's much to her dismay when she lands on its arm. Her eyes widen and a scream escapes her lips as she crouches and closes her eyes, waiting for the oncoming claw to hit her.

No hit comes, and instead she feels a warm sensation nearby. She frowns and opens her eyes to find Vincent standing there, arms up and palms flat against Bahamut's claw, using sheer force to prevent it from crushing them.

Only, it's not Vincent. It's the Galian Beast.

She notices he looks different, changed. He's taller, and stronger-looking, the fire is more prominent on the beast. And above all, it looks more _humanoid_ than before. This thought makes her smile.

"Go," Vincent growls, using all of his strength to push against Bahamut's claw.

But the ninja cannot move. She can't leave him. His red eyes turn to her slowly, and he barks the order again. "Go!"

"No!" she shakes her head, tightening her grip on her shuriken.

"Can't hold…forever," he reveals and before she knows it, another friend appears at her side.

"C'mon Princess, leave the good ol' Knight in Shinning Armor to his fight," Cid chuckles, grabbing Yuffie's arm and pulling her away by sheer force.

She protest, but soon Vincent is left alone, struggling to fight the creature's attack. His keen hearing picks up the dying sounds of Yuffie yelling at Cid nearby, and his eyes dart around to find her, along with Barret, Cid, Cait and Red XIII, all on a support beam not far off, _safe_.

"Good," he hisses, before the beast within takes hold, and he jumps out from under Bahamut's claw, leaping upwards. He dodges the swatting arms of the creature, and heads for its face. Once there, his clawed hands ignite with powerful flames, and he begins tearing away at the monster, leaving scorch marks and deep gashes.

Fed up, Bahamut roars, and a blue orb forms in its mouth. Vincent, fully under the Galian Beast's bloodlust, ignores this and continues to attack relentlessly, his strength and power never leaving him.

Bahamut unleashes the blast, and it goes flying through the air towards the support beam where the others are. The high-pitched scream of a girl breaks Vincent from his bloodlust trance, and he growls angrily, turning to see a towering metal pillar explode, the falling and flaming pieces just barely missing Yuffie and the others.

Distracted, Vincent fails to see Bahamut's claw tearing through the air towards him, and his world briefly goes to black upon impact. The force sends him hurtling through the air towards the smoldering metal pillar, but a gloved hand catches his fur, pulling him in the opposite direction.

He's barely aware of where he lands, until he reverts to human shape, and looks up to see Yuffie holding his arm tightly as she stares at Cloud, the one who apparently saved him. "Where have you been?!" she squeaks, but then notices Vincent's red eyes have opened. "Vincent!"

Cloud chuckles, and does not falter under the glare Vincent gives him despite being currently choked by Yuffie's death grip hug. Cloud does not answer her then, and stands, noticing that on a nearby pillar, Cid, Barret, Red XIII, Cait and Tifa stand watching.

* * *

Cursing, Reno gets to his feet, taking a step back and not noticing a loud cracking noise that comes from beneath his shoe. He takes a step forward to steady himself, while Rude stares in disbelief and sadness at his crushed sunglasses.

He stands, and by the time Reno looks over at him, Rude is pulling sunglasses down over his eyes again. The redhead's eyes widen. "How did…yo, do you have more than one pair or some shit?"

"Might," Rude nods, and his friend laughs.

"Whoa…," he breathes, before they notice the siblings standing a little ways before them. "Oh great, you two son of a bitches ain't gone yet?"

"Hey!" Loz shouts.

"I will not have you refer to Mother that way!" Yazoo adds.

"You meanie!" his brother whines.

"Our apologies," Rude states.

"Yeah, your ma's cool," Reno nods, before his head snaps up, his eyes narrowed at Yazoo. "What the hell am I saying?! You shot 'Lena!"

Reno dashes forward, and leaps into the air to meet Yazoo. Loz watches his brother and the redhead go up, and Rude uses this distraction to come pounding forwards, whacking him on the side of the face with a hard punch and knocking him back.

He lands on his back with a thud, and Yazoo crashes down next to him. Reno lands in a crouched position, and glances behind at his partner, giving him a smirk and a thumbs up. His victory doesn't last long, because Loz gets up and comes barreling towards them, charging his claw-arm and smashing it into Reno's stomach.

As the electrical blast travels his body, Reno is thrown backwards, and hits Rude. Both Turks go flying down the street, and into the side of a car. Yazoo grins and gets up, joining his brother. Quickly, they race down the street to surround their opponents, just as they lift themselves up off the ground.

Reno and Rude stand, breathing heavily, and are back-to-back, Reno facing Yazoo and Rude facing Loz. "You two fucks are seriously pissing me off," Reno growls.

"And you two are boring me," Yazoo states, faking a yawn. "Perhaps we should go play with their girlfriends again, huh brother?"

"It was more entertaining," Loz chuckles.

"Yo!" Reno snaps. "Rude here's got the hots for Lockhart, sure, but he ain't got her yet. So quit giving him false hope. And, I don't know where you two keep getting this from, but 'Lena ain't my girlfriend, okay?"

"She practically is," Rude comments, and Reno glances over his shoulder with an incredulous stare.

"Buddy, are you…agreeing with the bad dudes?"

"No, just saying they have a point," Rude states, resisting the urge to grin at his partner's shocked expression. He then straightens up, cracking his knuckles and looking back at Loz. "We'll talk about you having the '_hots_' for Elena later. Right now, there's fighting."

"Wha….?" Reno begins, but is cut off by Yazoo's apparent agreement to fighting, as he lunges forward.

* * *

"Heh, this is too fun, sir!" Kadaj taunts, watching his brothers battle Reno and Rude, and despite his anger towards Bahamut being knocked down at the moment, he smirks. "Any requests for the next act?"

Rufus, unwilling to see any more of this, stands and Kadaj's eyes widen. The President of ShinRa whips the white sheet away, revealing that it was all an act, and that there is no visible reason for the wheelchair.

What shocks Kadaj more is the small box in his hands. A small black box with greenish-yellow stripes for biohazard reasons. A small box that Kadaj saw only once before, at the Northern Crater, and thought nothing of it when Elena had tossed it into the helicopter.

"Mother!" he yells, and Rufus smirks.

"First with the Planet's savior, now with Jenova's Head. A good son would have known. Heh," Rufus scoffs, before tossing the box over the side of the building. Kadaj watches the box fall, and glares at Rufus, before unleashing a powerful blast of energy, accompanied by a yell.

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

_

* * *

_

Coming up…

_Act Six: Memories. Revelations. Destruction._

_Adelia goes to the Seventh Heaven to find Rufus already there, and with Elena, he returns her __**true**__ memories._

_Reno and Rude show up, and the redhead is forced to admit some things._

_Adelia, memories fully intact and restored, goes to help AVALANCHE against Bahamut._


End file.
